Vandread Fantasy
by SoftballxChick
Summary: Discontinued. Please read my notice and sorry for stopping the story
1. Prologue: Aftermath

Vandread Fantasy: 1st stage

I do not own Final Fantasy 7 or Vandread. I wish that I did though… (Sobs crawls into corner and starts throwing chips at lawyers…meanies)

**Prologue: Aftermath**

After the long battle with Sephiroth and now knowing that meteor was gone and would no longer pose a threat to Midgar or the planet. A certain blonde spiky haired hero didn't know what to do. He had wondered if he should go with Tifa and the others back to Midgar to see if they could do anything, but after beating Sephiroth he didn't know what to do. So he separated from the group and went on another journey. To find his real self and to figure out who he really was. After stocking up on supplies in the town of Kalm it was then that he decided to see Aeris's grave. He thought maybe seeing where he last saw her would help him find his true self. Not only did he want to do that he also wanted to thank her for helping them defeat Sephiroth and getting rid of meteor with the help of Holy.

When he got to the City of the Ancients, Aeris's resting spot, all he could do was stare. He had words that he wanted to say, but they just wouldn't come out. It was then that he took a deep breathe and said what he wanted.

"I really don't know what to say except thank you. You've just done so much for us and for this planet and…"

It was then that Cloud noticed materia on the ground. When he picked it up he started to remember as to when he last saw it.

----------------

(Flashback)

Cloud went up the steps to see that Aeris had something in her hands and that she was on her knees praying. It was then that Cloud looked up to see Sephiroth coming down, but he couldn't move it was like he was paralyzed. When he noticed what Sephiroth was going to do it was too late. Sephiroth had just sent his sword the Masamune right through the back of Aeris. She had died right there in front of him. When she fell to the floor he noticed Holy coming out of her hands and going into the water.

(End of flashback)

----------------

"Why did I just stand there and let her die. I should have done something why didn't I move. What is the meaning that I'm here, the meaning of my existence?"

"The meaning of your existence is something that you have to answer yourself Cloud."

As Cloud looked up he couldn't believe his eyes. It was Aeris in the flesh.

"I thought that you died…that you were dead."

"I am Cloud. I just came back because I need your help with something. That's if you want to do this new task."

"I don't understand what you're trying to say."

"I need you to go through not only time but space. The fate of humanity would once again rest on your shoulders but they need help, and maybe during this new journey you can answer your own question. The meaning of your existence."

"A new journey…hmm and I'll find an answer, and I don't have anything else to do now that Sephiroth is gone and meteor no longer pose a threat….I'll do it. So where do you want me to go back to Midgar, Cosmo Canyon, Mt. Nibel…"

Before Cloud could finish what he was saying he saw a dimensional portal open up.

"Like I said Cloud you will be traveling through time and space. You might not see this planet again. You may never see Tifa, Barrett and the others. Are you sure you want to leave. It will be up to you."

"I….umm…yes I'm sure that I want to go."

"If you just step into the portal you will be sent there…"

Before Aeris could finish her sentence and explain everything to Cloud about the new strange world he was going to go to. Cloud had jumped into the portal and it closed behind him.

"Oh dear I didn't get to tell him about Tarak or Mejale or about the war that the men and women are going through. I guess he'll just have to learn about it himself."

Just before she was about to leave she turned around and looked at were the portal once was.

"Good luck"

Aeris then disappeared.

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_Authors notes:_

Well there's the prologue for you. I just thought that there should be a crossover with Vandread and Final Fantasy together. Just to let you know Hibiki Tokia will still be in the story he just won't be the main character sort of. There will also be some twists and turns for this story as well. The place were Aeris died was between bone village and icicle inn so I just named it the city of the ancients. Please read and review. This is my first time writing a fanfic so if you have any suggestions or comments for me I will gladly take them. Oh and no flames please. If I do get flames I shall use your flames to roast marshmallows. J/K

Ja Ne r/r plz


	2. Boys meet Girls

**Vandread Fantasy**

Disclaimer: I do not own Vandread or Final Fantasy 7.

Thoughts 

**Chapter one**

**Boys meet Girls**

On the distant, all-male planet of Tarak, the Prime Minister and Supreme Commander of the Tarak Space Force was finishing up his speech before the graduating team of cadets. Behind him loomed the former colony ship, now battle cruiser and flagship, the Ikazuchi.

"And so my fellow warriors, we shall go forth and crush the enemy of our beloved empire! The empire that our forefathers, including our great Grand Pa had brought forth those many years ago. We shall annihilate the accursed monsters known as _WOMEN!_ With the combined strengths of the second and third generations, we shall triumph over our greatest enemies! We shall prove to all the great manliness that is our heritage! With our new weapons and the return of the mighty Ikazuchi, we can not... no! _WE SHALL NOT FAIL!_"

There was a roaring ovation as the raw new recruits cheered on their leader. Near the front of the crowds was a long-haired individual with a calm, collective demeanor. His face betrayed no emotion as he and the rest of the cadets continued to listen to the Prime Minister.

"We shall at last reclaim our place in the stars, by first wiping out the scourge of pirates that have been harassing our transports! Why wait until the designated time? Let us go forth now!"

The crowds gave off another round of applause and cheering.

----------------

In the engineering section of the Ikazuchi…

The young engineers looked at one another in shock and surprise.

"What! He wants to take the ship into combat two hours early!" A technician asked to his comrades.

"The Prime Minister isn't one would exactly call patient."

"Can the chatter! You heard the Supreme Commander! All crews and essential personnel! To your assigned stations!" The head engineer ordered through the intercom.

The engineering staff of the battleship moved with maddened speed as they raced to their respective stations to prepare for the launch of the battleship. The engine room gave the impression of a beehive, where all the worker bees were looking as if hooked on steroids, as the men moved about to fulfill their assigned tasks. Huge mechanisms whined and creaked in the sounds of metal against metal as the massive battle-craft began to power up its internal systems. The ship began to accept the massive stream of cadets as the new recruits of the Tarak military began to fill up the barracks as they boarded the ship. In less than fifteen minutes, the ship was now fully prepared to leave Tarak as the last to board was the prime Minister and his command staff as they entered the command bridge.

It was then that the massive thrusters that would propel the ship to the void of stars fired up. The entire flagship trembled with massive power and it readied itself to leave the men's home world. Outside the huge crowds cheered and watched in anticipation as the crowning achievement of manhood' was about to bring the war with women to vast ocean of stars above.

Then the powerful engines kicked in as they novaed releasing a massive blast of light, lifting the ship off the ground as it steadily began to gain altitude.

On the ground, several miles from the launching site, an old man in the age of possibly seventy-five wiped his sweaty brow as he looked up from the fields he was working on. He was a well-build man for his age and showed a great deal of wisdom in his eyes that were shaded by his glasses. As he watched the ship leave for the heavens above, he felt a certain unmistakable feeling course through his old yet not frail body. He felt that soon the Ikazuchi was soon to cast in a role, which would determine the destinies of both his home-planet and that of the women. A moment later he went back to work on the sterile, dry and almost desolate soils of Tarak.

----------------

While that was going on in the Vanguard hanger a certain third class citizen was looking for a certain Vanguard.

"Now where is it? Ah there you are partner. Just look at you, you got so big. I'm going to take you home with me right now."

But before Hibiki could get into the Vanguard the Ikazuchi had just left Tarak's orbit.

"What the hell is going on!"

He then got up to look through the nearest porthole and was surprised even more when he saw the departing surface of the planet of Tarak.

"This is not good."

Hibiki had just turned around to see a dimensional portal upon up and to see the blonde spiky haired hero come right out of it.

"Damn it. I don't know what's going on any more, am I losing it."

When Cloud landed on his feet he looked at his surroundings to get a better look around. He then noticed Hibiki by the porthole.

"Man what a rough ride she could have told me it was going to be that bright in there not to mention harsh. Hey kid can you tell me where I am."

"Ahhhh! Who the hell are you…?"

"Well my name is…"

"Are you some weird guard?"

"Umm…no...I'm..."

"What's with the giant sword...?"

"Well it's..."

"Your going to kill me with it aren't you well I'm not going to let you I'm out of here."

"Hey kid wait up and listen all ready I'm not going to kill you so just calm down. So can you answer my question as to where the hell I am?"

"Well, now that I know that you're not going to kill me I'm not a kid the names Hibiki Tokai."

"Well…Hibiki where am I?"

"You're in the Vanguard hanger which is part of the Ikazuchi."

"Ikazuchi huh." I should have stuck around and asked Aeris what this new journey was going to be about. I guess that it's my fault for leaving so quickly 

When Cloud was in a train of thought Hibiki looked over him more closely.

He has some strange clothes on and some really weird hair. How does he get it to stick up like that? 

Hibiki then looked at Clouds wrists and saw some shiny looking marbles or what looked like marbles to him.

"Hey you never gave me your name you now if you were a real man you would have given it to me already."

"Well you never gave me a chance you kept screaming your head off."

"Well I'm not yelling anymore so are you going to tell me who you are already?"

"The names Cloud. Cloud Strife."

"So Cloud what are you doing…"

Before Hibiki could finish his sentence he could hear the prime minister saying something and what sounded like a movie playing behind the doors.

----------------

Several hours later, in orbit around the planet of Tarak…

The liftoff came without a single problem and the mighty battleship was now in synchronized orbit over the men's home world awaiting their escort/support fleet to join them in their glorious crusade against the monsters of Mejale. On the ship's main hall, the cadets of the Tarak Space Forces were rather busy enjoying the inauguration ceremonies as they drank their wine and began conversation with one another.

"I can't wait to go into battle!"

"Neither can I!"

"When can we see those new weapons we heard so much about?"

"Those new Vanguards will surely put those women in their rightful places!"

"Say, after all this is over, do you want to make a kid?"

"A kid with you? That's not a bad idea."

As the various tidbits of conversation waved through the air and the celebration continued, a certain cadet by the name of Duero McFile with three other cadets. The third of their company being the one with raven black hair.

"Hey, Duero. I heard that you made the top of your class."

The individual named Duero simply gave a nod as he took a slow small sip of his wine. He was a rather tall individual and had long black hair with one bang covering the right side of his face. He carried the demeanor of an educated and yet creative person of mind.

"Yeah, congratulations are in order you know… hell, you could be assigned to head-quarters." Another cadet spoke out as they approached the four men.

"I hear that when he took the qualification exams he left the position line of his submission entry form completely blank." Another cadet chimed in as he came to the group.

Just then another cadet came in carrying a box filled with pink and white colored pellets.

"Hey guys! Everyone having a good time now?"

The group turned to see another newcomer arrive; he also wore the same cadet uniform as they did, but totally looked out of place in the atmosphere of a military ship. He lacked the build of a soldier, as he was somewhat skinny, with a shock of blonde hair. His voice was somewhat whiney and seemed to be full of himself. That didn't stop to guy however from offering the group the nutrition pills.

"Here! Take some of this; this stuff is a lot better than those you get in the factories are. I got them through some good connections. Think of these as free samples since I'm handing you some."

The cadets each gave a rather nervous look at the newcomer before handing out their individual replies to the guy in question.

"Thanks for the offer. But no thanks."

"Yeah, I'm rather full right now."

"Same here. Sorry."

"Thanks for the offer anyway."

Their answers acted like nails, slowly flattening a tire. As was evident at the slight look of dejection on the blonde man's face. Bart showed briefly his somewhat hurt look and shrugged his shoulders. "Okay if you insist, but know that you might never get another chance to eat good ones like these again." He moved to another batch of cadets, going through the same selling routine.

"Who was that guy?" one of the cadets asked to his fellow crewmembers.

"His dad owns the Garsus Foods Cooperation. Put it simply, his family feeds us, so let's keep it at that."

"Geez. The thought of that gives me heartburn." One cadet said as he thumped on his chest in exaggeration.

Before his comrades could laugh at that, the lights then switched off. They along with every other cadet in the room as another video screen lowered down in front of them. An announcer came to the podium and addressed the assembled personnel. The screen flickered and began showing combat images of the military's latest weapon the Van-type fighter suit. The announcer then made a brief but stunning summary as the images played out.

"Stab! Pierce! Crush! And Slay! With these various weapons and built-in abilities the Tsukumo Van-Type Fighter is a weapon unto itself! It is the new frontline weapon of our glorious Empire's military! Be it the land, the sea, the air, the mountains, the flatlands, or even in the dark void of space! There is no terrain our proud weapon cannot traverse! The new Vanguards are the guardians of our glorious empire and our future. Let us welcome the weapons we shall use in the war against our empire's enemies and the guardians of the hope of our people! Give the Vanguards a round of applause!"

There came a standing ovation as the cadets cheered for their latest tools in their war against the women of Mejale. Then the lights were switched back on and a large section of the floor opened up. A large elevator platform rose up with more than two dozen newly completed Vanguards on it.

The applause and the cheering stopped as the assembled men saw…them.

"Who are they?"

"Look at one of them. One's a third class citizen!"

"Who's the other guy?"

"What's up with the hair and strange clothes?"

"He must be some third class citizen as well!"

"How did they get on board the Ikazuchi!"

"What are they doing here!"

In the crowd Duero McFile looked at the third class citizen and could tell that he might just be some wannabe vanguard pilot. Duero then looks at the other stranger. He quickly noted that he couldn't be a third class citizen as far as he could see. The stranger was in top physical condition. Not to mention that third class citizen were not allowed to carry weapons of any sort. When he look at Clouds sword he looked at its massive size and shape and noted that it would be impossible to use. He also took a look at his clothes and noted that they were quite peculiar as well.

At that point a group of security personnel began to approach Hibiki and Cloud to arrest them. Hibiki started to run for the statue and started to kick security guards off of him. As for Cloud he went into a defensive stance.

I can't draw my sword. I might injure someone. Looks like I'll just have to fight with my fists for the time being and it looks like there not going to want to listen as to why I am here. Here come some. 

Cloud then dodged a blow to his flank, and with a quick spin, belted the guard on his back with a roundhouse kick.

It's a good thing that I watched and practiced some martial arts with Tifa. Ah here come more. 

Ducking from another blow, he slammed a fist into the diaphragm on one guard, and grabbing his arm, and with a quick twist sent the guy into one his fellow guards. Two more guards came toward Cloud and each received several fast jabs, and elbow strikes into the temples, knocking them out cold. Three more guards came and Cloud responded with a spinning pair of attacks, a bicycle kick into chest of one guard followed by a reverse spin kick that sent the first slamming into his comrades. Cloud was just about to take another one of the guards out, but then noticed that they had captured Hibiki and were now pointing there rifles at him and Hibiki.

"I surrender."

The guards then surrounded Cloud on all sides and quickly restrained him. Hibiki and Cloud were then escorted to the Detention area to be held there until the prime minister decided there fate.

This lack of fear deeply intrigued Duero as he watched the intruders get taken away. Normally, all Third-class citizens were low in self-esteem and always afraid of their masters. This one however carried himself with a strong wall of confidence and determination unlike the other third class citizen with him. As if he didn't care in the least what was thrown at him. After seeing that display of hand to hand combat skills the young doctor wondered where could a Third-class citizen learn to be so proficient in unarmed combat? The medic then considered if the young man might be a member of the elite.

----------------

"Keep an eye on them, Cell Unit 6." The guard ordered as a squat egg-shaped mechaniod hovered near the laser bolt grid that served as the barrier to Cloud and Hibiki's cell. The cell was actually nothing more than just a large storage room with piles of crates and spare parts lying around. It showed that the men of Tarak were never planning to take any prisoners in their ongoing war against the women of Mejale.

"Beep! Beep! Roger!" The robot replied as it took up its assigned position in front of the cell.

As soon as the guards left Hibiki started to talk to Cloud once again.

"They could have at least thrown us in a real cell not this storage room."

"Calm down Hibiki everything will be all right."

"I know that…umm can I ask you a question?"

"Sure fire away."

"Were did you learn to fight like that and why didn't you use your sword?"

"I learned martial arts from a childhood friend and I didn't use my sword because it would have killed someone and I'm not here to kill anyone."

"Oh ok then. Were do you think they put your sword then."

"You don't have very good eyesight do you. They put it next to the door over there."

"Beep! Beep! Be quite in there you two."

Hibiki then turned is attention to cell unit 6.

"Hey there partner. Why don't you let me out of here were practically brothers I mean we were both born in a factory so why don't you let me out ok.

"Beep! Beep! Can not comply with request and trying to bribe me for your escape you therefore get…"

"Get what?"

"Punishment."

ZZzzZZZ

"Ahhh….that hurt."

"Actually I find that quite hilarious."

"Shut the hell up Cloud."

"Jezz no sense of humor."

----------------

On the main command bridge of the Ikazuchi…

"Cancel the exhibition match." The Prime Minister said as he and his staff entered the Command Bridge. He then sat down on the captain's chair. "That third class reject and that other man ruined the entire ceremony."

"Yes sir!" An aide saluted as he then moved to fulfill that order. On the main view-screen, were the images of several other ships of the Tarak Space Fleet were now moving into position with the Ikazuchi. It won't be long before the assembled fleet would be in a position to move out and strike first at its hated and despised nemesis.

It was then that several small but bright dots of light came streaking out from the deep void of space.

----------------

WHABOOM!

The floor of the cell shook as a massive explosion rocked the section of the ship that they were in. The impact caused the robotic guard to lose its balance temporarily, the imbalance however was enough to make it pitch forward and slam into the energy grid of the cell, which immediately caused it to short-circuit itself and the grid's systems along with it. The energy bars remained active though now lacking in power and intensity. Cloud then went for the front door and took back his sword.

"What are you waiting for lets get out of here."

"Ok I'm coming."

"B-bleep…beep…bip…squark…"

Hibiki then looked back and saw cell unit 6 on the floor.

I can't just leave him. 

Hibiki then grabbed cell unit 6 and headed towards the nearest porthole. He looked out the saw flashes of light that were none other than laser bolts, and streaks that were cannon fire lighting up the star studded void of space, that along with explosions coming from missiles. He recognized the Tarak Space Fleets' attackers to be none other than the Mejale Dread interceptors.

"Oh no we need to get out of here right now. Were being attacked by women!"

"Women! Why do we need to run away…"

"Like you said Cloud lets get out of here now."

Hibiki and Cloud then ran for the vanguard hanger.

----------------

On the main bridge…

Panic and shock ruled the situation at the moment. The Prime Minister looked in shocked surprise along with his subordinates, as their staff tried in desperation to figure out what the hell was going on.

"What's going on! I thought I ordered the exhibition match to be cancelled!" Shouted the Prime Minister in his shock and confusion.

A lieutenant replied in slight fear as he received data on the attackers. "No sir, this isn't an exhibition! It's the women! They've made a surprise attack!"

The Minister's face contorted with enraged disbelief. "WHAT!"

----------------

In the deep vacuum of space, the battle was now one-sided, that meant that the battle lay in favor of the pirates. The sleek Dreads of the pirate group dodged and ran rings around the technologically inferior ships of their enemies. The slow moving pulse cannon turrets of the male ships tried in desperation to lock on the nimble fighters but due to their slow traversing rate were unable to do so. The nimble fighters dodged each barrage, so the men's ship suffered the effects of friendly fire.

However, most of the damage to the Tarak Fleet came from the Dreads and their pilots as they systematically strafed at the escort vessels as they made their way to the main flagship. One after another, each of the smaller vessels were either destroyed or disabled, leaving the Ikazuchi to defend it self from the incoming attacks.

Some distance away was the sleek cruiser that served as the main pirate vessel. It stood poised and ready, and though everyone onboard were ready to intervene they could already see that the Dread squadrons had everything under control. On the cruiser's command bridge, an extremely old woman in robes smiled as she and her second in command witnessed the one sided battle.

"It seems that we've come across a big one." The second remarked with a smile.

The captain nodded. "Yes, it seems to be our lucky day."

----------------

On the Bridge of the Ikazuchi…

The Prime Minister gave a deeply fierce glare and gritted his teeth in deeper frustration as he got wind of the fact that two more escort ships were destroyed, while the others were either under fire or were disabled, meaning that he had no support fleet.

"What deplorable tactics! They're using the background fire as shields, and none of us can fire without the risk of shooting our own men!"

The first officer nodded with his superior's assessment and saluted. "What do we do now sir?"

"Launch all available Vanguards at once!" The Ikazuchi's commander barked out as his answer.

This didn't suit well to the second in command. "But… most of the Vanguard pilots are mere trainees!"

The Prime Minister snarled. "If we lose this battle because of not using our new weapons, then we shall bring deep shame upon our empire and our great forefather Grand Pa!"

----------------

The scramble order was released as the cadets who were graduates in the Vanguard pilot tests rushed immediately to the launch areas. Some of those cadets also rushed to the Vanguards at the main hall. It was then that a speaker blared out.

"Switching to sub-zero gravity to prepare for Vanguard deployment!"

In that moment all the tables, chairs, and any other items that weren't nailed down to the floor floated to the air. Under one particular table, a certain heir to Garsus Foods also became airborne.

----------------

"Sir! Some of the Vanguard launching platforms are offline or disabled!"

"I don't care!" The Prime Minister roared in anger. "Launch every available Vanguard!"

----------------

Emerging from different areas of the Ikazuchi, several of the humanoid battle machines managed to make it into space. However with just raw recruits with little combat experience outside of the simulators for pilots, the highly vaunted Vanguards were nothing more than animated debris flying out in space uselessly and were of no threat to the Dreads. Some managed to latch on to some of the Dreads as the interceptors passed by, but without the proper training and experience, they could do little to stop the attacks.

----------------

"Eeek! What are these things! They're getting in my way!" One Dread pilot shouted out as she spotted several of the humanoid mecha pound their fists on the canopy of her Dread.

The Dread team leader kept her focus and calm as she replied giving new orders to her squadrons. "Don't worry about the Vanguards. Focus all your attacks on the main enemy flagship."

"Roger!"

A trio of the Dreads accompanied their leader as they made a long strafing run at the Ikazuchi. A section of the outer hull was blasted apart by the attack and with that the fighters dashed straight into the opening.

----------------

"Hull breach in sector five! Repeat! Hull breach in sector five! Requesting full re-pressurization!" a petty officer shouted through the emergency line as the anti-breach walls locked in to prevent the loss of needed air, which would escape to space.

The Dreads barreled through the corridors of the ship and landed in the main cargo area. The canopies opened and out came the Dread pilots along with a small team of their comrades, once the disembarked from their craft; they moved to secure the area. They were dressed in formless space suits and facemask/helmets with fierce monster designs, made solely to instill fear in their enemies, the men.

----------------

Bart tumbled out of his little hiding place, which rather incidentally was inside the hollow base of the statue of Grand Pa. He cried out in terror as he saw for the first time the enemies of his race.

"THOSE MONSTERS ARE WOMEN!"

It was just then that he caught sight of another ship that came barreling through the hull breach at breakneck speed. But in this case, the fighter seemed to be piloted with less skill than the others.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" Bart shouted as he scrambled back into his little sanctuary under the statue. The ship flashed by him, missing him but not without carving off the head of the statue, and like a comic jack-in-the-box, the cowardly cadet's head took the place of the statue.

----------------

Inside the main reactor room both Cloud, Hibiki and the robot were crossing over a high catwalk. It was then that Cloud had stopped to look at the Paeksis reactor.

"Hey Hibiki what is that thing?"

"I don't know and I don't care all I want to do is get out of here now!"

Cloud was about to continue but then, a jolt of awareness hit him, that jolt made him look back at the reactor. He directed his attention to the reactor and a foreign yet strangely familiar sensation washed over him. It seemed that the reactor was… calling to him.

"Hey come on we have to go."

Cloud then shook the feeling out of his head and continued on with Hibiki. It was then that both Cloud and Hibiki both stopped.

"Hibiki do you hear that?"

"Yeah I do, but were is it coming from?"

Cloud then looked at the ceiling and noticed that it was going to explode.

"Hibiki we need to move now."

It was then that they both went into a full out run

----------------

The Dread fighter that decapitated the statue Bart was hiding in was careening out of control as the female pilot inside tried in desperation to control her craft as it sped out of control.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! I CAN'T STOP!" The pilot cried out in fear as she found herself rushing headlong to the wall in front of her. In her desperation she activated her Dread's blasters.

----------------

In the reactor-room…

Hibiki and Cloud were about to get halfway through the walkway when they spotted the expanding area that dictated an area of an explosion. Cloud had pushed Hibiki one way while he was blown in another direction.

Everything went black a few seconds later.

---------------

The Ikazuchi's main Command Bridge…

"Minister! Please! You mustn't do this!" The second in command begged.

The supreme commander of the now decimated Tarak Space Fleet shook his head as grabbed hold of the large lever designed to separate the old colonial ship section with the new sections. "We can ill-afford to let this entire ship fall into the hands of those pirates! I must at least save the new sections of the ship! Before all is lost I will separate the old from the new!"

With that and with no hesitation, he pushed the lever forward.

----------------

Throughout the whole of the Ikazuchi, several chains of explosions were heard as explosive charges were detonated, causing the new sections to be detached from the original vessel. The cadets who were still in the barracks of the old colonial section watched in horror as they were abandoned by their leaders. The only cadet who showed no surprise or fear of this event was none other than Duero. As he knew that for all their talk of bravery the top brass were nothing but cowards and hypocrites.

----------------

Back in the Paeksis chamber…

Hibiki slowly began regaining consciousness as he slowly came around. His vision was rather blurry, but despite that, he could tell that something was on top of him. He reached out with his hand and felt around to determine what was on top of him. It was then that he encountered something that was round, warm and… rather firm yet pliable. Hibiki then opened his eyes.

"What is…this?"

He then looked at the face of the person and panicked. He threw the person off of him and yelled.

"It's a...a.a WOMAN!"

Hibiki was about to run when she talked back.

"WAIT!"

He stopped immediately. He then watched as the stranger began to remove her face mask/helmet.

Dita Liebely felt so much excitement, more than she had ever felt in her life as she removed her helmet. Her bright blue eyes twinkled cutely as she then shook free her long mane of deep crimson hair. On the top of her head was a strange golden headpiece that had the resemblance of a tiara.

"Wow! It's a real live alien!"

She thinks I'm a what! 

"Who are you calling an alien?"

Dita paid no attention to Hibiki's words as she raised her left hand and began making some simple gestures. Hibiki looked on totally confused but decided to play along as he moved his own left hand mimicking those gestures. As soon as he did so, the redhead became even more excited.

"I did it! It worked! I made first contact!"

"First contact!" said a confused Hibiki

"I've got to get out of here. There's the robot, but where's Cloud?"

Hibiki got up and started to run away not only away from the woman but to also find were Cloud went.

"Wait come back Mr. Alien I want to take some pictures of you." She then started to run after Hibiki.

----------------

It had not taken long for the pirates to take over the old section of the ship. They began to round up the Tarak male cadets and herded them at gunpoint to the escape pods. Duero, who was also being herded along with their comrades, began to listen to the women's conversations as they removed their heavy suits.

"I know that it's a disinfectant, but I doubt that I'll ever get used to that smell." A tall blonde woman said as she began removing her suit. Her name was Jura Basil Elden, or just Jura to her comrades. She was at the age of twenty. And she was at the height of 5'9. She had a body that would have turned the heads of men know the beauty of the female at least a full one-hundred and eighty degrees. Her face was pretty similar in complexion, which was light cream white, she had deep emerald green eyes and her face was perfect in most aspects of the beauty of the human female. Her hair was long, reaching her thighs and was like golden silk. She wore a very form-showing dress, which had a plunging neckline and had slits that showed her gorgeous legs from lower hip to ankle, and she wore ankle length boots.

Jura however was no delicate rose despite her appearance as she was second in command of the Dreads, and showed skill in some areas of physical combat as she had a fencing sword strapped to her side.

"Has anyone seen Dita?" Another woman asked as she too removed her suit and helmet. The new woman's name was Meia, Meia Gisborn; she was younger than Jura by at least one year, placing her age at nineteen. She was tall as well, though not as tall as her blonde companion at the height of 5'6. Her body was completely athletic showing also well defined curves that would have attracted the eyes of men who also knew how to appreciate the female figure. Her hair was cut to a short boyish style, which still suited her well. On the left side of her face, which had, a light cream complexion as well was a strange metal circlet that still didn't mar her appearance nor break away the glitter of her blue-green eyes. She also wore a form-fitting suit that was gray, black, and white that also showed her curves even more.

Meia however, showed a great deal of leadership skills on her face, and from the way she carried herself she also had experience in physical combat. This plus her innate talents had made the Dread squadrons' commanding officer.

"The last time I saw her, she went barreling in that direction and crashed through that bulkhead… ouch!" Another woman said but was cut short as she glared at her comrade who was patching up her wound on the right arm. The woman's name was Barnette Orangello or simply Barnette; she was Jura's best friend and wing mate. And like her blonde friend she too had a lush figure that would have made men drool like fountainheads. She wore a dress that showed all of her own well defined curves and swells to the fullest, this dress had an open front that displayed to top areas of her bosom's cleavage. Her hair was dark green and like her commanding officer Meia, her hair was cropped short. Her eyes were of deep violet, which had the look of a field of lavender flowers. But she had skills like her comrades, but at this point she was more concerned with the pain she felt. "Watch it Paiway! My skin's very delicate you know." She gave frown as she watched the injury she had received when she along with the infiltration team entered the Ikazuchi. The burn was caused when one Tarak rifle round managed to bypass her suit's armor began to sting in pain and she knew that there would be a scar after the wound would be healed. She then became a bit distraught as she realized that her perfect skin would now be permanently blemished.

"Just try to endure it for a bit longer." The apprentice nurse replied as she resumed adding amounts of disinfectant to the wound. Nearby, several other pirates were sitting down and awaiting treatment.

"Nurses are supposed to be more sensitive to their patients." Barnette complained as she gritted her teeth.

"I am!" Paiway assured. The young girl who served at the medical officer as was indicated by her nurse uniform, of the pirates was only eleven years old with long, dark purple hair, which were held in large odongos that framed her head. Duero took stock of her and saw that she wasn't good at what she was doing. He however could tell that she had the talent and promise to become better suited for the job she had, but she lacked the proper training and the knowledge to treat her patients effectively.

Part of Duero's mind halted him as he looked at the injured pirates, he knew what that urge was. As a graduate of the medical academy of his planet, Duero had been trained to follow the medics and doctors of the past. That was to provide medical treatment to any injured person, whether friend or foe. He took that oath seriously like all the medics of the past. So with that in mind he made his move.

As the men were being herded through and forced to enter the escape pods, Meia went towards one of the holes in the walls. She then directed her attention to Jura and called out to her.

"Jura I'm going to look for Dita."

The blonde sighed. "This is one of the reasons why I didn't want to take a trainee with us on this raid in the first place."

"We're rather short-handed right now on dread pilots if you didn't know!" Meia shouted calmly and with restrained impatience. "If you didn't want to come along, then you should have said so back at the hideout."

"Oh all right! I'm coming along!

----------------

In another part of the Ikazuchi…

On the old ship three more of the Mejale pirates entered a section which was like a sub-command bridge. As soon as they took off their helms and suits, they approached the consoles in front of them and began to attempt a data access.

"Oh my! I can't read a single word of this!" The first woman to reach the console said in dismay as she looked at the Tarak men's language that showed on the screens. The woman's name was Ezra Viviel or just plain Ezra. She was a woman with a quiet and gentle demeanor and brown hair. She had the look of a housewife, which was further indicated by her manner of dress, which naturally fit the profile. She served as part of the Bridge crew of the pirates' cruiser, but on this raid the second in command requested her and the chief engineer to be with them.

"No problem! I can fix that easily!" Said the second woman who had already removed her suit from which she extracted a device. The woman's name was Parfet Balbair or simply Parfet to her fellow pirates. She wore large oversized glasses and had her dark brown hair contained in two large braids and had on a jump suit. She served as the chief engineer of the pirate fleet as she was the most technically proficient of the pirates and was in command of the engineering staff that kept their pirate fleet working in top shape. "I knew something like this would happen so I made this Inter-Pricko device!" She handed it to Ezra.

"What does this do Parfet?"

"It helps translating all known languages and dialects into a tangible form of words we can understand." She turned to their third companion. "I'll make one for you also Commander…"

The woman in question made no reply as she focused her attention at the screens in front of her, reading the data and downloading all the worthwhile information she could see. Buzam A. Calessa or just BC as she is known by her fellow crewmembers served as second in command of the pirates. She was a tall and statuesque woman with tanned yet attractive skin and long silver-blonde hair, and she wore something similar to and old Arabian harem's outfit though very futuristic. As she continued her downloading of the data, she spoke to her communicator.

"Have all the men been immobilized? Good, then dump them."

"Huh? You already know how to read the language of the men!" Parfet gasped at her commanding officer.

"That's the elite for you Parfet." Ezra shrugged her shoulders.

"Darn! And I worked so hard to make this device too!" Parfet sighed in disappointment.

---------------

At another area…

"Hey! What are you doing?" A guard shouted out as she spotted Duero break from the line and headed for a series of lockers.

Duero ignored the guard and reached for a particular locker, and pulled out his trench coat which was issued to all medical experts in the Tarak military.

"Get back in the capsule now!" The female pirate demanded as she came closer and readied her weapon, which was a laser rifle.

"There's time enough for that later." The young yet extremely talented medic replied as he turned around to face the female.

"Do as you're told, or I'll shoot you!" She replied and to further prove her statement, she leveled her weapon at him.

"I'm no threat to you." Duero spoke as he directed his attention to Paiway and the other pirates who awaited medical treatment. "I happen to be a doctor."

This made the guard lower her weapon slightly and the other pirates turn and stare at the young Tarak medical graduate. An expert physician was something lacked and therefore sorely needed by the female corsairs, as they knew that despite her inner talents, Paiway was still an apprentice nurse. However that didn't erase the fact that they felt uneasy of having a male touch them.

--------------

In the other side of the reactor room…

"Leave me alone." Was all that Hibiki could say as he went in search for the vanguard and Cloud while trying not to look back at the female following him. The woman paid no attention to his words at all as she still followed him like a bloodhound. Hibiki wished that he could find Cloud soon so that he could ask Cloud to get rid of her.

"Wait! Let's sit down and have a little chat!" Dita called out as she continued to snap a few more pictures of Hibiki.

"We're really a peaceful race!"

"Yeah and you just want to eat our livers for dinner!"

----------------

Some distance away…

Several hundred meters away from the old section of the once mighty battleship, the newer section was in orbit above Tarak. On its Command Bridge, was a VERY pissed off man! The Prime Minister gritted his teeth in anger and hatred as his pride had taken a severe beating and was badly bruised at the moment. This was supposed to be his greatest moment, but those bastard female pirates had made a mockery of both him and his assembled Space Fleet. They were even letting go of their male prisoners through the escape pods; he however wasn't fooled by their so-called act of pity. However a thought clicked in his head as he recalled that this section had a pair of weapons he could use against the women.

"Prepare to fire the space torpedo Muramase!"

The second in command looked shocked by that declaration by his commanding officer. "Minister! You can't be actually going to destroy the old section of the Ikazuchi?"

The Prime Minister gave no reply, but in his mind he gave his answer. I would rather let it be destroyed by my own hands, than let it belong to those women! 

On the underbelly of the new section, a large door opened and a massive cylindrical object came out was lowered.

---------------

On the old section…

A warning siren blared out; Ezra using the device Parfet made used it to determine what was going on. Once she deciphered the data, she gave out a gasp of dismay.

"There's a missile being locked in onto us!"

Buzam immediately relayed the information to the captain onboard the pirate cruiser. The aged woman nodded as she replied.

"We see it too BC. I'll admit that losing this ship would be a complete shame, but let's get out of here!"

The order to evacuate was given and the pirate ship came close to the Ikazuchi and began laying down cover fire as it moved closer to retrieve its crewmembers onboard the old colony ship.

Meanwhile, Duero had just finished his treatment to his last female patient who happened to be none other than Barnette.

"There, that should do it." He replied as he used his thumb to secure the bandage on Barnette's arm and nodded with satisfaction of his work. With added medication there wouldn't even be a scar.

The medic then took the time he had earned as he decided to contemplate Barnette with a natural curiosity. As a man of Tarak, He had never seen a woman in person before in all of his life on his desert home world, except for the images shown in the propaganda films. She definitely didn't look like those monsters he had seen in the films and she was definitely human, despite some… physical differences on body structure.

Barnette however noticed the studying look the male doctor was giving her and became extremely agitated at it… "What? Do you find something interesting about me?"

"In truth… actually I do." Duero replied.

"Don't expect any thanks from me!" Barnette retorted hotly.

"I don't actually. I suppose I should be leaving now." Duero replied as he got ready to leave.

Duero wasn't aware that behind him, Paiway was also observing him and writing note on her trusty notepad. "He touched a total of five girls."

----------------

The pirate ship arrived at the extraction point, which was the underside of the Ikazuchi and connected a special boarding tube to its side. The crew extraction was going rather well, but time was running short for them.

----------------

"Isn't the missile ready yet?" The Prime Minister growled in an impatient manner.

"No sir! It's still in the process of fueling!" The chief officer of the torpedo deployment team on the bridge.

"It has more than enough fuel! FIRE!"

At that command, the Muramase was launched at the pirates, followed by another torpedo like it.

----------------

"What's the status of the evacuation of the crew, BC?" The pirate captain demanded from her second in command.

"Crew extraction is nearly completed Captain." Buzam replied. "I'm the only one left on my team. Three under Meia's team haven't reported in yet however."

"We'll let them return on their Dreads. Get back here on the ship on the double!"

"Roger!"

---------------

Back at the reactor room…

Meia looked around in desperation as she looked for her apprentice pilot. "Where is she!"

Jura, who was nearby looked at her commanding officer as she checked out Dita's Dread. "At least we know she's here in the reactor room, we found her Dread at least."

"True, but she's not at the cockpit! She's probably wandering about again."

"She may also be doing something she isn't suppose to either."

"What do you mean?"

"WHAT PART OF LEAVE ME ALONE DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND!"

Meia looked down and saw a man running at about an even pace. Her eyes widened as she spotted a certain redhead following the stranger.

"DITA!" She called out.

Jura looked and gave her commander a sidelong glance. "See what I mean? She's following a man."

---------------

Man what's with all of the yelling. It's probably just Hibiki. I better get up and see what's going on. 

As Cloud got up he looked at were he was and he was quite a long ways away from were he was when the explosion happened. He then looked down and looked around some more.

How did I get all the way up here? Ok now I hear Hibiki but I don't see Hibiki. 

Cloud looked below and saw Hibiki running away from a girl with red hair. He then looked back at the catwalk because he heard other voices as well. When he looked he saw two women. One had blue hair with a grey bluish space suit and the other was wearing some type of exotic looking dress.

and they said I had weird clothes. Well I better go help Hibiki before he gets hurt plus we need to get out of here also. 

Cloud then stood up and looked for a way down.

Looks like I'm going to have to jump it's not that far of a jump anyways. I better tell Hibiki that I'm coming his way or I might scare him. 

"HEY HIBIKI WAIT OVER THERE BY THE PLATFORM AND I'LL BE THERE IN A SECOND I JUST NEED TO GET DOWN AS SOON AS I'M THERE WE'LL LEAVE OK."

When Cloud was finished he looked for a good place to jump so that he wouldn't seriously hurt himself and saw that he could jump from where those two girls were then jump all the way down and right there was a clear landing.

Ok it's now or never. 

Cloud then jumped next to the wall and when he was close enough to it. He pushed himself off the wall and landed next to Meia and Jura. Without even looking at there surprised looks he then jumped over the railing and landed on the floor. When he recovered from the drop he then ran past Dita and grabbed Hibiki by the shirt and went to the platform.

Both Meia and Jura were shocked; it was then Jura who broke the silence.

"How…How did he…how did he do that. It's impossible to do that. He practically just jumped down 5 or 6 stories. Not to mention with that giant sword on his back"

Meia was also shocked but she then shook that out of her head as she remembers that the missiles were still headed towards the ship.

"I'm shocked as well Jura but we need to get out of here and get Dita. Those missiles are headed this way."

Both females then rushed to the place where their comrade was, which was at a juncture point in the reactor room.

----------------

"DITA!"

"Wow another alien and he's fast too."

Dita then turned too see that as her commanding officer arrived; Meia then grasped her shoulders and spoke sternly to her.

"Dita, what are you doing here! You know better than to wander off on your own!"

Dita looked saddened, and very downcast. "I'm sorry Meia." Dita apologized as she took one last look at her first live aliens. She wasn't aware that her comrades were giving the once over look on the men as well.

Jura looked at the man that had jumped down from the platform and was looking him over. Not bad for a man but what's with the clothes and hair. He doesn't have bad shoulders either. She then shook her head as those thoughts came in. She was from Mejale and men were her enemies! Why was she thinking these things! Where did that come from! I don't like men! 

Meia was also looking at Cloud before he had turned the corner. She had seen his face and what got her was that his eyes had this glow in them. She shook her head in anger and confusion at this unknown train of thought as she ordered her team to head for their Dreads.

---------------

"All three are now accounted for. We're leaving now onboard our Dreads!" Meia called out to her communicator as she and her subordinates ran towards their respective ships. However, just as soon as Meia and Jura were lifting off, Dita discovered that she had a slightly tiny problem.

"OH NO! MY DREAD IS STUCK AND I CAN'T GET OUT!"

--------------

Both Hibiki and Cloud had now reached the vanguard hanger and noticed that there were quite a few left. Hibiki was also glad that no one had taken his partner into battle and as for Cloud he just wanted to jump into one and get out of here. It was then that he noticed that one of the women's dreads were stuck in the wall. He looked back at the vanguard and back at Hibiki. Hibiki had gestured for him to get into the vanguard, but he couldn't leave her here to die. Cloud then finally revealed his sword to not only Hibiki but the three dread pilots as well. Cloud then began to concentrate.

"Cloud what are you doing we need to leave now." Jezz look at the size of that sword its huge and he just took it out of his sheath like it weighed like nothing 

"You get out of here Hibiki. I'll be right behind you. I just need to free her from her spot."

"Cloud its impossible to get her out of there with just a…"

Hibiki was then cut short as he saw a golden aura surround Cloud. Cloud then ran toward Dita's dread.

I hope that this works. Well its now or never. 

"CROSS SLASH" Cloud had cut around the dread to see if that would help. This did because when he was finished with the attack Dita was free from the wall.

In her cockpit, Dita gasped at the power of the alien. Her heart throbbed a bit faster as she gazed at the second alien who freed her from her predicament. She called out to them. "Wow! You are really cool! Thank You Mr. Alien!"

Sweat drop Mr. Alien.? 

He then saw that Hibiki was in the vanguard trying to get it to move but couldn't Cloud then got into one of the vanguards that was on the other side.

Meia and Jura breathed a sigh of relief as they saw Dita's dread move back out of the hole it was stuck in. Since they were on the other side, they didn't see how her ship had gotten loose from its bonds. Not that there was time to think about that at all. They had just started to make their escape when they realized that time had run out on them.

----------------

The pirate ship…

"We can't avoid a direct hit!" One of the Bridge crew declared as she tracked the missiles aimed at them.

"Hit or miss, it's our destiny." The old captain said as she prepared for the worst to occur.

----------------

Cloud and Hibiki were both extremely pissed and they were pissed for only one reason.

"HOW THE HELL TO YOU GET THIS THING TO MOVE!" Both had said at once.

---------------

On the new sections of the Ikazuchi…

"Minister! We are losing mass at a rapid rate!" An aide called out as he spotted the readouts on his console.

The commander of the Tarak Space Force nodded with satisfaction as he witnessed both ships being swallowed into some massive vacuum and disappeared from his field of vision.

"I hope you enjoy the taste of defeat, you vile women pirates!"

--------------

Cloud found himself falling into a deep sea of greenish-blue light. His body felt like it was on fire as massive waves of energy flooded him. The sensations were indescribable, as he had never felt it before.

As the young man fell, he became aware that there were four others with him, the same women that he met at the reactor and Hibiki. As soon as the darkness was about to engulf them, each of them spotted glowing dots appearing in front of them and the dots exploding like sprouting seeds, he then saw images that would change his life forever and shape his future. The images resembled the vanguard he was in but larger and more impressive looking. That last image faded as he heard everyone scream and heard a certain redhead

"MR. ALIENS!"

To be continued…

_Authors notes:_

For Chapter one this was a really long chapter. Well if you guys saw any mistakes or have any suggestions or comments I will gladly take them. I really want to make this story enjoyable for everyone to read. Also if you would like to see something happen in this story I would gladly listen to that as well. Also just to let you know in the game Cloud is 21 years old. Well in the story I'm going to make him a tad bit younger which is about 19 years old. Well hope you enjoyed it.

Ja Ne R/R plz


	3. Decisions

**Vandread Fantasy**

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7 or Vandread.

( ): Thoughts

**Chapter Two**

**Decisions**

Cloud was dreaming…

Cloud felt that he was in the dream state; at least he thought he was in that state of consciousness. He noted that it felt like he was in the life stream once again. He found himself surrounded by countless images. The majority of which showed the journeys he had done ever since Sephiroth came back and wanting to destroy all of humanity. The beings, and the places he had seen, met and had been to, that along with the battles with many great foes by himself and with Avalanche. However, the other remaining majority showed his life from when he was a kid to now. He tried to make sense of it all but had to stop as the consuming but unthreatening blackness claimed him.

----------------

Many light years away from either Tarak or Mejale…

The pirate ship and the old section of the Ikazuchi violently reappeared in the void of new space with the power of an exploding star. Both vessels were severely damaged by the torpedoes' explosions, but then the older one began to unleash tendrils of light from the main Paeksis reactor core unit. On the bridge of the pirate ship, the female crewmembers roused themselves from their little experience.

"Uuuuuuhhhhhhh…. This doesn't feel like the after-life at all. Where the heck are we?"

Magno Vivian, age one hundred and eight, captain and founder of the pirates looked about. She was happy to see that her crew on the bridge of their cruiser were now regaining consciousness, and didn't seem any worse for wear. Then they were shaken with strong force as if their ship was taken by something massive.

Magno looked up at the main view-screen and gasped in shock as she saw the old section of the Ikazuchi shoot out massive glowing crystalline tendrils as if it were alive. Its deployed tendrils of crystal began gathering the surrounding debris and began to incorporate them into its structure, including their own pirate cruiser!

"What's that thing trying to do? Is the crystal trying to consume the entire ship!"

----------------

The two vessels were then linked together by a massive and VERY thick stem of the glowing green crystals as the Ikazuchi's belly fused with that of the top of the pirate cruiser. On the pirate ship, its sections began undergoing its own startling metamorphosis, as the Paeksis began infusing all cable, circuits, and mechanisms. The women worked desperately to stop the transformation, but their efforts were in vain as their ship was completely engulfed.

----------------

A few minutes later during the transformation…

Inside the reactor room of the Ikazuchi which was now flooded with crystals, the three Dread pilots who had been at ground zero of the explosion came to consciousness, and were quite surprised to find themselves awake and alive and lying on the floor.

"Is… everyone alright?" Meia asked as she got up on her hands…

"Jura, are you alright?" She asked her blonde companion, whom she spotted lying near her.

"I'm… okay." Jura answered as she sat up and also looked around the room and slowly got up.

Meia placed her hand to her face and rubbed it slightly. It was then that a thought struck her mind.

"Where's… Dita?"

"Hi!"

Both Meia and Jura looked in the direction of that voice and gave sighs of relief as they spotted the red-haired apprentice pilot lying on her belly some distance away from them and waving her hand.

The overly excitable redhead began to mumble.

"Something… went clang… and then…. KRRSLASH! Alien powers are SO amazing!"

Lying nearby and still rather unconscious were Cloud and Hibiki.

----------------

The captain of the pirates, her first officer and their chief engineer along with a well armed group of their security team stepped into the reactor room. They had been informed by their chief supply officer Gascogne Rheingau (or simply Gasco, though she hates being called by that name), that the two ships could not be separated from the outside from the looks of things, so they decided to do the source of the problem.

Meia and her two subordinates greeted them as soon as they had arrived from their shuttle, as the squadron leader greeted the ancient female.

"I'm really sorry that you had to come all the way here Captain."

Magno waved her apology off gently as she smiled at her young but talented Dread Squadron leader. "It's quite all right Meia. I just decided to see this for myself." She began walking and looked at the room, which was flood with the Paeksis' handiwork, crystals were everywhere. "Unbelievable." She then caught movement and looked over toward the direction, and gazed as Cloud began to recover consciousness. She then noticed Hibiki on the floor next to him.

"Those are the men we encountered while looking for Dita Captain, when Jura and I found Dita, she was chasing that man with the blue hair. The one with the spiky blonde jumped down about 5 or 6 stories to save the other man from Dita's questions ."

"So there the one's you reported in earlier, eh?" Magno asked as she directed her gaze to Hibiki, she then remarked.

"It's been a long time since I've seen men. Were their faces always that ugly looking?"

Cloud had gotten up to hear what Magno had said about not seeing men for a long time.

(What's going on here? Why are men afraid of women and vice versa and why would they not live together. This is weird.)

Cloud had dusted his clothes off and looked at the people in front of him, and silent chided himself for forcing himself awake before he could clear his head, as the images were still blurry. He however got the strength for a retort.

"Well your not easy on the eyes either grandma."

----------------

Later… In a prison cell…

(Okay, so that wasn't exactly the BEST way get to know someone. From now on I'll wait until I'm fully awake to actually say something.).

Cloud thought silently as he reminded himself to be a little more tactful to people he barely met. That was when he looked around and then became aware that he wasn't alone in the cell. Nearby at a corner was a certain doctor who had not fled with his fellow crewmates in the escape pods prior to the explosion.

"Hello, third class citizen." Duero greeted them in a rather polite manner.

"I'm not a third class citizen and I'm not even from your planet. Who are you anyways?" Cloud asked as he moved to a better position as he was in front of several boxes.

"My name is Duero McFile. And you are?" Duero asked.

"Cloud Strife."

"I must say that you're not like any person I've ever seen in my life." The young medic remarked. "You were able to defeat a nearly a dozen guards without killing any of them. I thought that only the elite were ever trained in such hand to hand combat methods and techniques and for a while there I thought that you were an elite."

"Let's just say that I've…been around and learned from a couple a friends."

"Okay then, answer me this. How did you get past the security on this ship?" Duero asked.

"Umm you might not believe this but I'll tell you anyways. I didn't go past security to get on the ship, an old friend asked me to come here to help with something and she opened up a dimensional portal. I jumped in and the next thing I know I see Hibiki and he told me that I'm in the Vanguard hanger."

"I don't believe any of that for a second. From what I've seen during the ceremony, each of your separate movements were too well coordinated and you have shown that you all had a lot of extensive, physical training. While you were out, I examined your body. Now before you react, what I did was give you a basic medical examination and checked your basic vital signs, namely heart rate and breathing. Your body is in top physical condition, something that isn't expected from third class citizens, and it is impossible for any human being to just open up a dimensional portal. So you must be an elite from headquarters and you were undercover

"I knew that you wouldn't believe me and like I said before I'm not from your planet." Said Cloud

"So do you care to elaborate on where you attained those skills?" Duero asked.

"I learned them from a childhood friend." Cloud said

(I think I'll wait to tell them were I learned Martial arts for a while. If I tell them that I learned Martial arts from a female I think that they would go nuts)

It was then that Cloud noticed Hibiki with the small robot they had brought with them was lying nearby with its screen showing nothing but static. Then it began to quiver and shake, then suddenly sprouted metal arms with three fingers each and two legs. Its screen came to life, and displayed a pair of large eyes. The thing then stood up and looked around while scratching it's head in confusion.

"Where am I? Who am I?"

"You seem to have changed a lot from the last time I saw you awake." Cloud commented.

The machine looked at Cloud in puzzlement.

"….Who are you…"

Cloud shook his head and noted to himself that today was just going to be one of those days.

---------------

As the two ships continued to reformat themselves, the pirate crew continued to work hard to stop the changes to their vessel, but had no luck in going so. Before long, every circuit, cable relay, and mechanism of their cruiser and the old colony ship were flooded with crystals. As such was the predicament, the engines were offline along with most of the systems.

At the engineering section of the ship, Parfet and her crew of engineers were trying everything in their power to determine the extent of the damage, but had no idea where to start looking.

---------------

In the depths of the former Ikazuchi, a panel opened up at the base of a statue also covered in crystal. Out crept the cowardly Bart, who had been in the base hiding since the explosion had occurred. As he looked around the crystal encased room he began to wonder what had happened to the ship, a shiver went down his spine as he realized that he was in BIG trouble. It was then that a piece of crystallized bulkhead broke free and fell down, nearly crushing the young cadet, he let out a scream and landed hard on his rear.

"Damn it! This isn't funny at all!"

It was then when he looked up and saw that he had been discovered. A certain blue-haired Dread Squadron leader was aiming her laser-ring at him and her thumb was only a millimeter away from the ring's firing stud.

"Ummm…Hi there"

---------------

In the decontamination chambers…

"Paiway! Let us out! It's freezing in here!" Barnette continued to shout as she pounded on the glass as she and four other girls were being doused in cold water in the chambers. The sad part of it is that the five women including Barnette were the ones Duero had treated. They were in their undergarments and were facing the soon to become possibility that they would be in danger of catching pneumonia.

However, the young apprentice nurse didn't listen to her comrades, as she sat on her desk and shook her head. "Not until all the male germs are gone." She then directed her attention at her trusty diary. "Even in times of crisis, the teen idol Paiway does not lose her cool…"

----------------

On another part of the newly fused ship…

"We all heard once that the Paeksis was a powerful source of energy, you know Dita. But we had no idea that it could do this to the ship!" Ezra said as she looked through her special camera as she and the redhead Dread pilot were busy lounging at a terrace in the newly made garden showing the void of stars.

"It's the aliens' powers Ezra! I wonder if I would be changed if I was absorbed by the Paeksis." The young Dread pilot asked to herself loudly with a blissfully curious expression

----------------

A little while later…

Magno decided to question the prisoners and had ordered them to be taken to the interrogation chamber, which was now in the old section of the Ikazuchi. Cloud had decided not to offer any resistance as he, and Duero were escorted under heavy guard. He was a little concerned that his wrists were once again bound by the wrist restraints that were placed on them by the women. The restraints were better than the men and appeared to be remote controlled. Cloud could also tell that by the way their captors moved, that their combat skills were good. It was then that he noticed Hibiki moving his hands toward one of the women's butt. Before Cloud could stop him Hibiki had a very nice red hand print on his face. As they were being led to the interrogation room he noticed that the whole ship was starting to change it was nothing like he had ever seen before. He then looked over to his right and noticed Duero and the robot next to him.

As soon as he, Hibiki, and Duero entered the interrogation chamber, they all saw another man was already in the proverbial hot seat'. Once Cloud saw their fellow prisoner, he categorized him as a complete non-combatant. He showed no experience in the field of combat and on the hand battle knowledge.

As the four of them sat down, another door opened and in walked their inquisitor, none other than the captain of the pirates.

Magno moved to a nearby chair which was in front of the prisoners as she gave each man a long studying look, she made her look longer when she reached Cloud, and this time she wasn't showing a cordial look, no doubt not forgetting that grandma remark.

"So these are the only men left on this ship, eh? They're nothing more than a bunch of kids, and wet behind the ears."

"Hey! Its interrogation time! I'll tell you everything!" The little robot began hopping to the place where Magno was sitting and began hopping around the old woman. It was very apparent who's side little machine was on.

The pirate captain looked down and gave a smirk.

"Well now, how nostalgic! A Navi robot, and this one's still in good working order."

"I'm afraid that I don't follow." Duero asked in his inborn curiosity.

"This ship's been on our home planet for centuries." Bart remarked as he was afraid, but wanted to try and not show it.

"I was under that same impression myself." Hibiki merely said.

Magno snorted as she addressed them.

"I'll have you know that this ship actually was once part of a colonial fleet of ships from the planet Earth to colonize other worlds. This happened long before your fathers were even born. However, your cowardly grandfathers stole this segment of the ship and fled into the dead of the night."

The robot nodded as it continued with the explanations.

"They overhauled the section and added residential areas to the ship."

Magno nodded.

"That's correct. We're just taking repossession of it again. So technically speaking, this ship now is ours. Now the big question in my mind is, what are we going to do with the four of you?"

She began licking her lips as she said.

"Perhaps we should just roast you all over a slow fire. I always liked my men's innards medium rare."

That statement made Bart and Hibiki nearly piss there pants, but Duero remained calm. Duero had been trained to keep his focus as a medic. As for Cloud he was just laughing his head off

"HAHAHAHAHA. Oh give me a break! That's some of the funniest stuff I've ever heard. Women eating men's innards. You guys do know that she's lying right."

Bart and Hibiki looked at Cloud with a puzzled look, while in Magno's case, she was intrigued.

"My, you seem to be quite brave to say such things."

"Its not that I'm brave it's because I know these sort of things. You see I'm not from Tarak or this dimension."

"Not from this dimension you say do you have any proof."

Cloud then started to think of ways to prove that he wasn't from this dimension. He first started to think of his sword but then he noticed that one of the other females on the ship had a sword as well. He then remembered that he still had some materia on him. He looked at his wrists and saw that they hadn't taken the materia off of him. Cloud then looked to see what he had.

(Let's see I have fire, lightning, water, ice, Barrier, Cure, and I have some summons. Let's see this one is Shiva, the other one is Ifrit, and I also have Odin, Bahamut, Bahamut Zero and knights of the round. I think this is enough proof but I can't just point to them and say that this one is fire and this one is Odin. Maybe if I summon they'll believe me.)

"You're certainly taken you time to prove that you're not from this dimension young man. So do you have the proof or not."

Cloud then got out of his train of thought.

"I do but this room is too small for me to show you. If you could take me to a bigger room where there was a lot of space then I can prove to you that I'm not from this dimension."

"Hmm ok young one, but I won't be taken you there. B.C. take this man to the garden that will be plenty of enough room for you to show us. Also put it on the screen as well I will want to see this. While you do that I'll talk to these three men here."

"Are you sure Captain"

"Yes I am. Oh and what's your name."

"Cloud."

"Well Cloud you have one shot to prove that you're not from here got it."

"Yes ma'am"

B.C and Cloud then went to the garden.

----------------

As B.C and Cloud were heading towards the garden B.C started to ask questions as well.

"So what are you going to show the crew?"

"Oh nothing special. I'm just going to summon no big deal."

"Summon huh that's a new excuse."

B.C. and Cloud then made it to the garden when B.C noticed Ezra and Dita in the garden as well.

"Ezra I need you to go to the bridge and send a video feed to everyone in the ship. Cloud here is going to show everyone something to prove that he's not from here."

"Yes commander"

Ezra left leaving Dita there alone with B.C. and Cloud.

"Oh Commander can I stay here and watch Mr. Alien."

"I'm sorry but no you're going to have to watch it on the screen like everyone else."

"Oh ok then." Said an upset Dita

Right when Dita was heading for the cafeteria. Ezra came on the screen.

"Commander it's all set everyone on the ship will see everything he does."

"Thank you Ezra."

"Your welcome commander"

While B.C and Ezra were talking Cloud was in deep thought trying to think of who he should summon.

(No I shouldn't show Bahamut or Bahamut Zero there too big. It might scare everyone on the ship same thing to Ifrit, Odin, and knights of the round. Which leaves Shiva, I guess Shiva will do.)

"Ok Cloud everyone on this ship even the Captain can see every move you make."

"Jezz talk about everyone watching you. Well you guys wanted proof so I'll show you proof. Oh and you may want to back up.

Cloud then began to concentrate.

----------------

Everyone in the entire ship stared at the screen it even got Meia's attention.

"Captain are you sure about this he could be up to something."

"Yes I'm sure about this Meia. Now let's see what this young man can do."

----------------

At the Cafeteria…

"Wow I can't wait to see what Mr. Alien's going to show us. I bet its some cool type of alien power."

Right by Dita was Jura.

"Yes let's see what he can do. He already showed us that he can jump down 5 stories."

---------------

Back at the Garden…

B.C was looking at Cloud with a little of frustration on her face.

"So are you going to show…"

B.C. was cut short when she saw symbols that came out of no where appear around Cloud. Cloud then bent down on one knee, as he did 5 giant spears of ice fell on the ground behind him. B.C. then looked up to see a transparent figure come down into the ice. Cloud then got off of his knee and as he did the ice shattered revealing a light blue half naked women. Everyone on board the ship was in shock even the ones who didn't believe him when he said that he was from another dimension. Cloud then walked over to B.C.

"As I said before nothing special. Oh and this is the ice goddess Shiva. The person I summoned for you all to see. So do you believe me now?

"…c...cc captain…"

"Well I guess everyone saw what I did. You can go now Shiva."

With that Shiva left.

----------------

Cafeteria…

"WOW, he summoned an ice goddess Jura I told you Mr. Alien had cool alien powers." Dita said

"Amazing he summoned something so beautiful…I wonder if he can do something amazing like that for me."

----------------

Interrogation room…

"Well it looks like the young man was speaking the truth. Amazing…"

"Captain should we ask how he 'summoned' that person and take it away from him. It will ensure the safety of the crew if we take it away from him." Meia asked

"Yes, take whatever new weapons he had and give it to Gascogne. same with the sword he had on him oh and ask B.C to bring him back here."

"Yes Captain."

---------------

At the Garden…

Ezra, Dita, and nearly the entire ship came to the garden. They were amazed that a man can summon something so beautiful not to mention summoning a goddess.

"Wow Mr. Alien has amazing powers can you show us again."

"I have to agree that was quite amazing" added Ezra

Meia entered the garden and went to B.C to deliver orders.

"Commander, the captain would like the prisoner to go back to the interrogation room, but before he does we need to know how you summoned Shiva."

"Oh I summoned her by the materia on my wrist and there not marbles to let you know. If you want them you're going to have to take these handcuffs off so I can give them to you. Oh and take good care of them please."

When B.C. took the cuffs off he handed over the materia to Meia and put the restraints back on. They then headed back to the interrogation room. As they were leaving Meia looked at Cloud and back to the materia.

(Who are you?)

----------------

Interrogation room…

When Cloud came back and took a seat Magno continued with her questions.

"That was quite amazing young man if I may ask how you did that."

"Well first you have to equip the type of magic you want from healing to elemental to summoning. You also have to have mp or magic to be able to use them, but if any of you people here wanted to use magic you could."

"Now my next question is why are your eyes glowing?"

"That's…a long story. But long story short I was injected with Mako when I joined soldier and to answer your question as to what soldier is it's sort of like the army."

"Well… Cloud…you are rather interesting."

----------------

At the garden still…

While the conversation between Magno and the other men were going on. Dita gave a happy smile and gazed out longingly at the void of stars. Alongside her was Ezra taking a deep relaxing breath, she stopped as she spotted Dita pointing at the void with a deep look of excitement.

"Dita? What is it?"

"Look at that! There's something coming this way!"

Ezra took a look through her special camera, and saw a trio of dots appear heading for them.

"What could those objects be?"

Dita gave a glazed over, starry look on her face coupled with cat ears as several images came into her mind… concerning little green men and floating discs.

"You don't know Ezra? Those are more aliens!"

----------------

Right at that moment…

At the very same time at Dita's explanation of the newly approaching objects, and the words Magno said, that the ship shuddered from the force of some form of impact. At that point alarms blared all over the ship and the bridge crew along with Parfet called in to the chamber to announce that they were now under attack.

---------------

"CAPTAIN! We're being attacked by some unknown enemies that appeared out of nowhere!" Parfet declared as soon as she also got the data from her crewmates at the bridge.

"Can you move the ship Parfet?" Magno asked through the communications network as she managed to remain on her stool despite the impact of the blast that hit the ship.

"The engines won't respond and are still dead. And the auto-defensive systems are barely repelling the attacks!"

Magno thought quickly and switched to the communications for the Dread crews to launch. "Barnette?" she called to Jura's best friend.

----------------

"Paiway has us locked in the decontamination rooms Captain! We can't get out!"

---------------

"The main Dread platforms are offline! We can't deploy any of the Dreads!" Gascogne reported to Magno.

---------------

The only good news during this little situation came from Meia as she; Jura and Dita ran towards toward their respective Dreads, which were still housed at the Paeksis Reactor Room. However, as soon as they arrived, they stopped and gasped at the sights awaiting them.

Within the huge room were their Dreads, but the ships somehow took new configurations after being engulfed by the power of the Paeksis.

"Are these… our Dreads?" Jura asked as she looked at their respective ships.

"Wow!" Dita gasped, as she looked awed at the sight.

Meia also stopped, but then didn't hesitate to board her Dread, she reached it and climbed aboard, the other Dread pilots also did the same and entered their ships, and as soon as they were onboard they checked the systems.

Inside her Dread, Meia did quick but through system check and nodded with relief.

"Looks like the systems haven't changed much. How about the two of you?"

"I think mine can fly." Jura reported through her comlink.

"They must have been powered up!" Dita responded with excitement ruling her voice.

"This is so exciting!"

"Don't bite more than you can chew!" Meia warned her team as her fighter lifted of and flew to the direction of the hanger; following her were her wing mates. They were soon in the void of space and were immediately attacked by the…enemy.

---------------

The new force that was their foes were not like any model the pilots had never seen before. Small fighter ships shaped like odd-shaped octopi that began letting loose a powerful volley after volley of laser and cannon fire at the fused ships and the three Dreads trying to defend it from them... Some distance behind the fighters was their mother ship; the alien vessel was shaped like a massive seed. Every once in a while during certain intervals the mother ship's maw would open releasing two massive cubes, which would immediately break apart into new fighters. It seemed that for every fighter the Dreads would destroy, then three to four more would take the place of those destroyed by the Dreads. It wasn't long before the three pirates found themselves badly outnumbered.

----------------

"Excuse me please! We're really a peaceful race!"

Dita cried out as she managed to make her craft dodge the incoming stream of weapons fire from her pursuers.

"Dita! These are our enemies!" Jura scolded through the comlink, and then began to wonder just how did Dita's skills had improved so dramatically. She had managed to do a complex evasion pattern despite her still present lack of experience with her Dread.

Meia noted that her fighter's response time was better than before as she managed to dodge the barrage of fire from more of the alien fighters as she downed one of them. "The controls have been altered somewhat." She then winced as her ship rocked as it took a hit off to the stern. "Who or what are these things? Are they really aliens?"

"One thing's for sure though. They're definitely not men." Jura assured as she got into contact with Meia.

"No kidding! They're really BAD aliens!"

Dita shouted with anger as she continued to dodge the incoming fire as she also got into contact with Meia.

--------------

Magno winced as the ship took several more direct hits from their new opponents. Since they could not activate the engines they then couldn't move, they were also unable to regroup with the Dreads and were now nothing more than a sitting duck.

The shields were barely holding the attacks. Then another section of the wall in the interrogation chamber exploded behind them, and a scream tore through the room.

At this point, Duero decided to place his skills and knowledge as a physician to work. He began getting up, just as a female crewmember tried to help her injured comrade who was trapped by the blown section of the wall. She instantly pointed her laser-ring at him, but Duero held up his hands to a non-threatening gesture. Duero then spoke to the young crew-member.

"Don't worry, I'm a doctor. I just want to see if I can help her."

The girl lowered the ring, and as soon as that happened Duero began instructing her to help remove the debris from her injured comrade and help him take her to the medical bay. Once that was done he went on to check for any broken bones and gave the signal that the injured female had no broken bones from the impact and helped in taking several light boards nearby and made an improvised gurney to carry the injured female.

Bart took a long look at this and sensed an opportunity as well. He turned to Magno and began talking.

"Well now. It seems that we all are in bit of a dire situation right now, but I think there is a way out of this for all of us concerned."

Both Cloud and Hibiki looked at the young Tarak cadet with a curious look

The captain likewise gave a look to the smooth talker, but in her case, it was a look of suspicion. But she decided to hear out what the man had to say. "I'm listening."

Bart nodded as he began to explain. "Even though we are mutual enemies, it seems that we need to make our survival top priority. So I am suggesting a cease-fire and focus our different talents in combating this new threat."

Magno gave a nod, as she understood the idea the man had in mind. "I see. That's not a bad idea. So what exactly did you have in mind?"

"Well, as you can see, my comrade in the trench coat, he is one of the graduates in our medical school and has effective medical skills, and he can help treat any of your wounded and injured. As for the third class citizen he's a pilot and spiky here can pilot a vanguard as well. As in my case, I may not look like it, but I'm actually a helmsman."

"A helmsman?"

"How did I get caught up in this" Hibiki said

"Ditto" said Cloud

"Warning! Danger! This guy is trying to pull something!" The Navi-bot said in alarm.

"Be quiet!" Magno commanded the little machine, and addressed Bart again. "I think that it would be in our best interests to pool together our resources… for this time being."

Bart smiled and offered his hand. "So, I take it that it's a deal?"

The pirate captain responded by slapping away Bart's offered hand.

"Now listen closely, I have no intention of being chummy with you. Don't let the fact that the three of you are still our prisoner's slip out of your mind, do you understand that?"

Bart sighed and nodded. "Very well then."

"What should I do with the two other men. Hibiki and Cloud?" BC asked

"Take them down to the hanger, they will be our reinforcements."

"Yes Captain"

----------------

Bart gasped, as he was lead towards the transformed bridge, which consisted of four comm. stations and the command chair for the captain. And towards a platform which was extended and had a pool.

"So can you operate it?" Magno asked as she and the Navi-robot looked at the cadet.

Bart moved forward to the pool and looked at the surface of blue-green colored liquid. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"Are you saying that you don't know how to operate it?"

"No! It's just that this is one of our military's closely guarded secrets!' Bart said to cover his fear. As he cautiously placed his foot on the surface of the pool, and he screamed as the pool formed into a tentacle and took hold of his leg and dragged him into itself.

Both Magno and the Navi-robot stared wide-eyed.

"That's some secret weapon." The old woman breathed as she stared at the now serene looking pool.

"He doesn't know how to use it, does he?" the robot asked with well-crafted innocence.

----------------

Inside the liquid pool, Bart suddenly found himself naked and floating in some sort of virtual reality environment. All of a sudden, he saw images of the battle raging outside and he naturally reacted with his streak of cowardice.

"NO! GET AWAY!"

As he thrashed about in the environment, the entire ship thrashed with his movements, catching everyone on the ship off-guard.

"Well what do you know? The ship moved!" Magno remarked as she sat in her command chair.

It was at that time that the once dormant engines roared to life as Bart used the oldest trick in the book, retreat.

However the enemy had no intention of letting them escape so easily, as the mother ship pursued them while unleashing more fighters.

--------------

At the Vanguard hanger…

"The restraints should be off by now. You two need to hurry up and get in the vanguards because right now you're our only back up." B.C then left.

"Well you heard the lady Hibiki we need to get out there and help."

"I know it's just that I'm not really a pilot. I'm just a parts mechanic."

"Look Hibiki it doesn't matter who you are or what your job is. What matters now is that we need to go stop those things from destroying this ship and everyone in it."

"I know it's just that…"

"Stop putting yourself down Hibiki if you don't think that you can do it you can. All you need to do is believe in you and that vanguard you're about to pilot."

"You know what Cloud you're right let's go out there and kick some ass."

"That's what I want to hear now let's go."

As they left to go enter there vanguards B.C. was around the corner and heard the whole thing.

(Couldn't have said it better) B.C then headed for the bridge.

---------------

Out in space, the three Dreads were slowly being outnumbered and outgunned by the sheer numbers of the alien fighters that now numbered at least twelve dozen and more were still coming. And the ship was taking a severe beating. In the medical bay, Duero had discovered that all the instruments were underpowered so they stated that since the medical facilities and tools were offline then they'll have to do things HIS way. That statement made the female assisting him VERY nervous as she reached for her communicator and desperately called for Paiway.

In the decontamination rooms, Paiway screamed to everyone to shut up and stop getting injured.

The ship meanwhile was still running for its life, but the alien mother ship was steadily closing in.

----------------

Paeksis room…

Cloud and Hibiki were looking around for the vanguards they had entered before the explosion. Hibiki then found his partner.

"Wow partner you've changed. Looks like I'll have to change as well."

Hibiki then glance over to Clouds vanguard

"Wow yours changed too and look it has a giant sword just like yours!"

"Yeah I know." Cloud then looked at his vanguard it looked just like Hibiki's but his was red and white and had a sword similar to his Ultima sword.

"Cloud come on we need to go remember you can gawk at the vanguard later.

"You're right let's go."

With that Hibiki got his vanguard to move first and was already out in space with Cloud right behind him.

----------------

"Reinforcements? Who is it?" Meia asked as she and her wing mates were in desperate need of help as the numbers of the alien fighters became too much for the three of them to handle without any support.

"Those interesting ones." Magno replied.

"Who?" Meia asked curiously.

"I don't care who she is, she'd better hurry!" Jura whined a bit as she dodged some more attacks from the strange fighters.

A new voice broke in. "Who said anything about your back-up being female?" said Cloud

Just then two object burst forth from the bottom of the pirate vessel.

"IT'S THE MR. ALIENS!" Dita cried out with joy as she spotted the vanguards

"There our reinforcements!"

----------------

"Umm Hibiki how do I get this thing to move the way I want it to." Said a dizzy Cloud

"I don't know start hitting buttons."

"What if I hit some self destruct button…?"

"Then you would blow up and die."

"Not funny Hibiki."

"That's what you get for laughing at me when that robot zapped me."

"Ok then um let's see if I have the look a like ultima sword I wonder."

Cloud then began to move forward and drew out the sword and was able to kill enemies left and right.

(This is just like killing monsters but in space. All right I think I got the hang of it and it looks like Hibiki does as well. Ok since Hibiki went that way I'll go this way and the one in the red dread looks like she needs help anyways. All right now this is when the fun really begins.)

Cloud then went towards Jura's position

---------------

Out in space, in a trio of Dreads…

"He's so… elegant!" Jura said with appreciation on her voice as she stared at Clouds vanguard. For a man-made machine, the machine looked very elegant.

Dita's eyes were starry as she gazed at the vanguards. "YAY TO MR. ALIENS!" She said as she cheered.

Meia… well, she was pretty much speechless, like her captain.

(How can his vanguard carry something so heavy let alone use it at fast speeds. As for the other man he needs a lot of work to do.)

---------------

Right when Cloud got to Jura's position he heard over the comm. Link Hibiki saying just a little bit further and Dita saying Mr. alien can do it. Cloud then looked over to see what was going on to see a giant explosion take place.

(No Hibiki. You moron.)

He was then thrown out of thought when he heard Jura.

"YOU NEED TO MOVE MY DREADS OUT OF CONTROL WERE GOING TO CRASH."

When Cloud heard this he tried to move the Vanguard out of the way but it wouldn't move.

(Come on you stupid thing move or were going to end up just like Hibiki.)

But it was to late the vanguard and dread had collided together and created a giant explosion.

Meia had seen the whole thing.

"NO not you too Jura. What am I going to do now?"

Meia then heard an explosion come from her left when she looked she saw a giant blue mecha and saw that it had destroyed the mother ship. She could also hear Dita's voice and that other man's voice and was glad that they were still alive. She then looked at Jura and Clouds position and say that they were still alive as well and they had combined as well to her it seemed to resemble a large and fierce human warrior decked in strong but elegant armor. It resembled an ancient samurai style warrior, but was sleek and deadly looking. It then opened its arms and reached behind it and took out a massive sword. The humanoid mecha then took a defensive stance. It was then that her radar went off and say that another mother ship was coming.

(This isn't good)

----------------

Cloud and Jura's position…

"Ahh man my head hurts. What happened anyways?"

"You can say that again…"

Cloud then noticed that someone was on his lap and Jura had turned around to see that Cloud was behind her.

Both Cloud and Jura screamed

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY DREAD."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT AM I DOING IN YOUR DREAD WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY VANGUARD ANYWAYS CALM DOWN IM NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING TO YOU."

Jura then calmed down and noticed was had happened to her Dread.

"Wow it so elegant even when it combined with your vanguard this is so amazing and it's so beautiful."

(What's up with this chick? Does she think that everything is elegant and beautiful? Man I'm going to have to ask that doctor to look at my ear I think I lost my hearing jezz.)

Cloud then got out of his train of thought when Jura smacked him upside the head and told him to look at her new beautiful dread. To Cloud it look just like the blue mecha that Dita and Hibiki were in but red and more of a samurai style to it. He noticed that he still had the ultima weapon on this machine but it also had a white staff right next to the sword. He then looked at the mecha's arm and noticed that it had an iron bangle on were you could place materia there if he wanted.

"Wow this is amazing, but the controls are different how do we pilot this thing?" said Cloud

"What do you mean how do you pilot it the controls are right here in front of us. Jezz men are so stupid."

Cloud was about to retort when Meia came up on the screen.

"You two can argue later another mother ship is headed this way. We need to set up a line of defense to protect the ship."

"Roger"

"Just leave it to us."

Jura and Cloud then got a hold of the controls and sped towards the mother ship.

"I hate to say this but I would like to get rid of this thing in one swift strike." Cloud said

"It's impossible to get rid of a mother ship in one swift strike it takes more then one hit."

"Will you listen for a sec. You saw the sword right. It acts just like my sword so if we try I can apply a limit break to it and we can get rid of the damn mother ship."

"Fine but this move better be elegant. I, Jura cannot do a finishing move that is ugly."

(Man all I want to do is cut this thing in half and she wants elegance added to it jezz sometimes women just get on my nerves.)

"Fine we'll add elegance to it now lets go."

Jura and Cloud sped towards the enemy with Meia right behind them.

"What are you two doing we need to set up a line of defense before it sends out more of those cubes."

"If we get there before it sends out reinforcements then we don't need to worry about setting up a line of defense. Right now all we need to do is attack and go on the offensive." Said Cloud

With that the red mecha took out Ultima weapon.

"There might be a big explosion so stay back."

The red mecha then sped up leaving Meia behind

"Who does that man think he is? I'm in charge of the dread team not him. I should talk to the captain when this is over."

Meia then looked at the new dread and saw that it had a golden aura around it.

"You ready for this Jura. Were close enough for me to let go of my limit break. So how about we go and kick some ass."

"Yes lets get this over with I'm getting all sweaty and I need a shower so lets finish them off already."

"EAT THIS CLIMHAZZARD" yelled both Jura and Cloud

The red mecha had then stabbed the mother ship with Ultima weapon and flew upward splitting the ship in two. They then headed back toward the hanger.

----------------

At the bridge…

"Amazing to think that two miracles would happen in one day."

"Captain should we meet them at the hanger."

"Yes I think that we should."

B.C and Magno headed for the hanger.

--------------

Hanger…

Cloud and Jura had gotten there ships to split up even though Jura didn't want it to. Cloud had gotten out of his vanguard and looked at it for quite some time and thought of what Aeris had said to him.

(So this is what you wanted me to do Aeris. Its going to be a whole lot easier then some of my other challenges that I went through.)

Cloud then turned around to see Hibiki in hand cuffs and trying to run away from the red haired chick. He could also hear Hibiki saying something like don't eat me. He could also see Jura walking out of the hanger and complaining about being all dirty and sweaty but before she left she winked at him. Cloud then looked back the vanguard.

(I take that back its going to be a bit harder then trying to get rid of meteor I guess.)

Cloud then closed his eyes and passed out of exhaustion.

The old pirate captain had just arrived in the hanger to see him pass out.

"Looks like the young one is tired. B.C take him back to the cell gently. When he wakes up we'll talk to him later."

"Yes captain."

To be continued…

----------------

_Authors notes…_

Man another long chapter. Sorry it took so long. It took me forever because my dad came home and bought me a PSP that came with 4 games, a movie and a carrying case all for a 100 dollars now that's a deal. Anyways I got some of your reviews and some of you guys want it to be a Jura/Cloud pairing so you guys get it. This story will be a Jura Cloud pairing for you peps. I also decided to go with the Ultima weapon instead of the buster sword because I think ultima weapon is a tad bit cooler. Anyways I'll work on the next chapter and if you guys want to see anything or have ideas or comments let me know ok

Ja ne


	4. I've decided to come here cause why?

**Vandread Fantasy**

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7 or Vandread.

( ): Thoughts

**Chapter three**

"**I've decided to come here cause why?"**

Somewhere out in the vast reaches of the galaxy, a group of female pirates from Mejale and their male captives were drifting aimlessly in the star-studded void. The pirate vessel had now been completely engulfed by the Ikazuchi's Paeksis Reactor and now the two vessels became one whole ship. Inside the newly made and combined vessel, particularly inside the conference room, the captain of the pirates, her first officer, and their Dread squadron leader were in deep discussion.

Magno nodded as she gazed at the holographic images on the screen.

"Continue with your report, BC."

The first officer nodded as she began to explain the current situation to her commanding officer along with the latest reports they have gathered which were being displayed.

"Yes, Captain. The entire ship has now been completely swallowed up by the crystals. The bridge, residential, and engineering sections have now been completely reformatted and all systems have been infused with Paeksis crystals. Fortunately the Dread launching Platforms were not affected and at this stage we are implanting the new data into the systems. It now seems that the Paeksis Reactor has reached its peak. The bridge has stopped sliding from the original configuration to be overlooking the ship's Bio Park."

"And our current location?"

The captain asked as she continued to fan herself with a small hand-held fan to cool down. The ship's environmental control systems were among the systems still inactive and that made the current temperature to be at least 100 degrees.

The holographic image changed to that of a star chart as BC continued her report.

"It's hard to believe, but the vacuum that occurred when the torpedoes struck us and the reaction of the core reactor of the old colony ship has transported us to a completely different galaxy from our own. It will take at least approximately 270 days for us to return to our home system."

The aged woman gave a sigh as she looked in slight disappointment.

"What did we ever do to deserve being flung across space?" She then turned to address Meia. "And do you have to report Meia?"

The young blue-haired female nodded as she took her turn.

"The three Dreads that were swallowed up and transformed by the Paeksis, including mine, are no longer able to fit into the regular Dread platforms. We've modified the cargo bay area on the men's side of the ship and are now storing them there. While we were doing so, we made a few discoveries ourselves. It seems that this entire section of the ship hasn't been used for a long period of time. The circuits and conduits are all decayed and useless."

"I see. And what of our enemies?"

"I decided to deploy a scouting party to the wreckage of the alien vessel to see if we can gain any information. Since we're short-handed, I asked for…volunteers."

This got the old woman's curiosity. "Volunteers?"

---------------

Out in space… on the way to the alien wreck…

"Wow! Look at that! It's and Adamsky-type UFO! Did you see it Ms. Gasco?" The pilot of the ship called out.

Gascogne sighed as she sat behind Dita onboard the apprentice pilot's Dread Fighter. It was going to be a long investigation in the mind of the older woman.

---------------

WHOOOOSH!

Cloud winced in unison as he was in his boxer shorts, while he was being sprayed down. Standing next to him were Duero McFile, Bart Garsus, and Hibiki Tokai as they were as well in their under-garments as well and were now going through the Mejale female's way of the decontamination process. It was the fact that the women were using icy water that didn't help matters at all.

Watching all this going on from a monitor on the bridge, Magno and Buzam were contemplating their male prisoners.

"So, these are the only men onboard?"

BC nodded.

"Yes, Captain. It seems that we'll have to rely on them until we fully understand this new ship of ours."

Magno nodded. "Yes." She then began to recall back to the time of the end of the battle. When the enemy was destroyed, the ship went on full automatic standby mode and released Bart from the navigation well. Duero had gone back to the cell showing no signs of struggle or a wanting to escape. She then remembered when Cloud and Hibiki had gone out in their vanguards and fought against the enemy and how they had combined with both Jura's and Dita's dreads. She had also remembered when Cloud summoned Shiva as well.

(This is going to be one interesting trip home.)

---------------

At the cell…

"It was so unnerving!"

Bart whined in his usual voice as he tried to strike a conversation with his fellow prisoners. Sitting at a nearby corner, was Cloud, eating a tray filled with a very large amount of Tarak food pills. These things tasted like dirt but as hungry as the young man was, he had no reason to complain. Hibiki was making faces at them the whole time as he was eating them as for Duero he decided to pass on the Tarak food.

"One after another, my comrades fell all around me, until I was the only one left standing!" Bart continued to babble. "But I knew that even alone I had to find a way to retake the ship from the women. And fate has given me three able allies! What do you say?"

He placed his questioning look at Duero first, Hibiki second then to Cloud last. He knew that his might, skills, and powers would be more than enough to beat the women.

Cloud ignored Bart as he already had understood where his train of conversation was going. He knew that Bart was just talking just to talk because he was stressed out and probably scared. As for Hibiki he couldn't take it anymore.

"Hey will you just shut up already your getting on my nerves."

"Its ok Hibiki he's just talking because he's stressed." Said Duero

"Docs telling the truth Hibiki. Usually when someone is stressed they need to talk to someone. Oh and how can you guys eat this crap everyday? It tastes like dirt and some other stuff that I don't want to know."

Cloud had just finished the tray of pills and placed the tray on the ground

Duero looked at Cloud and was amazed as to how many pills he had eaten.

"Well Cloud you must have been hungry. You just ate enough pills to keep at least three men fed for few days."

Cloud looked at Duero and back to the empty tray.

"Really? Jezz, I must have been really hungry but I hadn't eaten for a few days because I had just finished this big battle back at my planet then I helped you guys out a while ago. Hmm oh well just don't give me those pill again there really nasty."

"I see. However that still doesn't explain how you came to be here. Are you a human? Or are you some sort of cyborg? And how did you get a replica of your sword on that vanguard?"

Cloud looked distant for a second and then shook his head.

"No, I'm…human…and how a replica of my sword was on that vanguard I don't know how. It was just there."

Bart shrugged his shoulders as he chimed in.

"We don't exactly have time for that now guys we need to figure out a way to take over this ship."

He then directed his attention to Cloud then to Hibiki.

"By the way, what's the deal with you guys and those Vanguards fusing with female ships?"

Now Cloud was starting to get irritated

"I don't know it just happened. Now would you please be quiet? There's too much hot air in here already! And the last thing we all need at this point is more of it!" He emphasized his point by making a fist.

Bart got the message.

"Whoa! Okay! Okay! Take it easy!"

"About time you got the point man it's starting to get hot in here." Said Hibiki

Bart thought that he would at least say a few more things before he would finally shut it.

"So how about it? With my talking, your brains and his muscles and skills, and the parts mechanic… we could beat these women!"

"Oh really? I'd like to hear how you're going to plan to do it."

Bart stiffened at that and slowly turned around as he heard BC's voice. He turned and saw the first officer and two of her subordinates standing in front of the cell, looking straight

at him. He could only guess how long she had been standing there.

----------------

In the engineering section…

The section was now being flooded by several complaints concerning the inactivity of the majority of the ship's systems. One of the more common complaints was the air conditioning as that was one of the systems inactive at the moment. The section got a call from the bridge crew on that particular problem.

"What's with the air-conditioning? It's at least thirty degrees in here!" One of the bridge crew complained as she loosened her uniform's collar.

Parfet moved to take the call as she unzipped her jump-suit and revealed herself wearing a tank-top like her friend Dita, and tied the sleeves of her jump-suit around her waist.

"Don't complain! It's at least 103 degrees down here!" She directed her attention to one of her subordinates who seemed to be trying to restrain something. "So how's it going?"

The technician gave her boss a sigh and went back to work in struggling with the Navi-robot, trying her best to hook up the little automaton to a console to lock in it's systems in a plan to determine the ship's condition. However the machine wasn't in a rather cooperative mood.

"Beep! DON"T TOUCH ME!" It shouted as it continued to struggle like a calf during branding time.

----------------

Meanwhile, at another section of the ship…

Paiway was rather busy sitting on an elevator which was on its way up to the other sections of the ship. She was more pre-occupied with the fact that she was now writing on her usual companion apart from her frog puppet-handbag, that being her diary.

"As the valiant crew continued to do their best, Magno's family suddenly found themselves in a new and difficult crisis."

It was then… "Hey! Hold that elevator!"

Paiway looked up from her diary and saw her fellow pirates, Jura and Barnette carrying various personal items in their arms. The reason for little 'haul the gear' routine was that due to the changes done by the Paeksis during the initial transformation of the two ships. As a result, several of the crew of women pirates had no other alternative but to relocate to their new living quarters.

"Slacking off again, Paiway?"

Barnette asked in a rather irritated tone, no doubt not forgetting that Paiway had nearly made her into a human ice cube.

"Instead of just sitting around doing nothing, why don't you do something more important?"

Jura asked as she managed to get a better grip on her items.

"I am doing something!" The apprentice nurse replied as she held out her diary for her comrades to see, then held up her handbag puppet frog and began to speak in a comic, cartoon like voice. "Barnette and Jura sure have a lot of stuff." She then directed her attention to her puppet as if she was speaking to it. "It's a good thing that our room wasn't changed so we don't have to move out right? Kero!"

Jura gave a rather irritated look at the precocious eleven-year old nurse. "She's really beginning to piss me off." She growled.

Barnette gave a silent nod, but then her attention focused on a strange rope harness on Paiway's waist.

"Hey Pai, what's that rope on your waist for?"

Paiway answered her comrade's question with her puppet's voice.

"This is only a temporary elevator, so it won't be my fault if it falls. See you later. Kero!"

The young girl was then hoisted upward and off the lift, leaving behind the two Dread pilots in a state of shock.

"You're kidding right! Paiway!"

----------------

Inside the wreck of the alien mother ship…

The head supplier looked through everything that she could see. The ship looked like someone stuffed one massive explosive pack into the mouth of the ship and made it look like a shattered tomato. She sighed and responded to the call of her commanding officer.

"Progress is real slow in here and things are real extensive, considering the damage that Vandread Dita and Vandread Jura had used when their Dreads merged with the vanguards, it had caused to this alien ship, then it's a miracle this wreck's even out here. We've got a lot of things to go through at this point. But to tell you the truth Captain, this thing isn't like any ship I've ever seen before, it resembles more of a mobile factory than a ship."

Dita however paid no attention to what the conversation was between the supply officer and her captain as she was rather busy taking pictures of the alien ship she and her Mr. Alien had destroyed together. Then she spotted something.

"Wow! Look at that!" Dita exclaimed as she spotted something and began to point at it. "Hey, Ms. Gasco! Can I take a look around?"

Gascogne was in no mood to have the young Dread pilot go anywhere on her own, so her answer was simple.

"Absolutely not! We've got a very important job to do here Dita, and sight seeing is not part of that job!"

With that she flicked her finger on the surface of Dita's helmet-visor. In the vacuum of space, this gentle yet firm push had sent the young redhead flying backwards.

"Whoa! I can't stop! Ms. Gasco help me!"

----------------

The pirate Captain smiled a bit at that as she signed off.

"Very well then. I'll leave the investigation up to you, Gascogne."

She then pressed a button that made her chair turn around and head for the door. The Door slid open and she began to descend down a rail and arrived at her command console on the bridge. Waiting for her was Buzam and the captive Bart.

"Heh heh, I heard you wanted something from me."

Bart said with barely hidden nervousness.

The old woman nodded and pointed towards the navigation well.

"Yes. That thing. We haven't been able to interface into it and operate it, so you'll have to tell us how you did it."

"Uhh…okay…yes of course. Given my current circumstances and my situation, I don't have much in terms of choice."

He held up his manacled hands, indicating to Buzam that he needed his hands to be free. The first officer complied and activated the release for the manacles. Bart then moved to the direction of the well.

"Now listen very carefully. This is a male ship, so therefore only men are capable of operating it. So I suppose that it was rather fortunate that I was around. In fact, you could say that I'm indispensable to you and… uurrrk!"

At that point the well flared up and sucked the hapless man into it again.

Magno sighed as she leaned back and shook her head.

"I really doubt I'll ever understand this system at all."

Inside the navigation well, Bart found himself once again naked and surrounded in the holographic display of the outer environment of the ship.

"Okay… let's see here…uhhh…okay…"

All of a sudden, the ship's systems and main drive system came online and the vessel leaped forward and began to accelerate away from the wreck of the alien vessel. The sudden movement caught everyone off guard as the inertia dampeners and stabilizers were unable to cope with the sudden movement. Jura and Barnette were thrown off their feet in the elevator and their possessions went scattering all over the place.

Back on the bridge, the crew tried to stop the ship but wasn't getting anywhere.

"The system just booted up and we're now on some unknown heading!" One of the bridge officers called out.

Magno wasn't in a good mood as she got in touch with Bart at the navigation well and shouted.

"What in blazes did you just do in there!"

The image showed Bart as he shook his head. "Hold on! I didn't do anything! The ship seems to be on auto pilot!"

--------------

At the wreckage…

Gascogne nodded with satisfaction as she took out the data disk from the downloader unit they placed on the wreck's systems to gain the needed data. She was now looking forward to be back at the Register office with her crew again.

"All right, I've finished copying the data. Let's hurry and get back to the ship."

"Roger." Dita replied as she nodded and activated her suit's built-in maneuvering thrusters to propel her towards the opening. However, the moment she got there, she gave out a gasp, as she could not find the ship, as it was nowhere in sight

---------------

The bridge…

"Ms. Gasco! Can you hear me? Ms. Gasco!" Ezra cried as she tried to hail both the head supply officer and the young Dread pilot, but had made no progress. The young woman then began to sweat profusely as her breathing became shallow bit by bit.

"Deploy the buoys!" BC ordered, but had turned her attention went she heard a person collapse and a shout was heard. She looked in shock as she spotted the gentle Ezra lying on her console.

"EZRA!"

--------------

Back at the cell…

Cloud was dreaming, as he lay asleep. He could see Aeris. She then started to speak to him.

"So I can see that you made it there in one piece congrats."

"Well yeah I made it, but why did you really send me here. I mean it looks like they can take care of themselves. And they can fight."

"Well one reason I sent you here Cloud was so that you can answer one of your own questions. The meaning of your existence. And the other is that there really going to need your help later on. Not only that but someone on this ship is going to need your help later on as well. I kind of hate to say this, but I have to go and you need to wake up."

"Wait Aeris don't go. Who needs my help here? I need to know. WAIT AERIS ANSWER MY QUESTION!"

Aeris then disappeared

He woke up when he felt something warm on his face, and when he opened his eyes he found Duero's face was pressed on his. He immediately reacted as he darted away.

"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING!"

"I was taking your temperature." The physician replied. Cloud now understood that with his hands restrained then the Tarak doctor had to use other ways to determine his temperature. "You were mumbling in your sleep. Who is this Aeris?"

"Um just an old friend back home that's all."

"Ok my guess is that it's just the heat affecting us. A while ago Hibiki was mumbling as well. He was saying something like Grandpa."

At that moment, the first officer and two of her guards arrived at their holding cell, and addressed the young medic.

"You're name is Duero, correct? It's your turn now."

As the guards deactivated the energy bars on the men's holding cell, the first officer of the pirates directed her attention to the other two men in the cell. At the moment Hibiki looked rather deep in thought same as for Cloud.

"Don't worry I think we might need your help some time soon." B.C. said

Duero and B.C then headed for the infirmary.

----------------

Back at the bridge…

Bart was in full panic mode as he tried in desperation to determine where the ship was heading; he got his answer as they were heading into a nebula. And in truth… he didn't like the answer.

"We're going in there! How do I stop this crazy ship!"

The ship didn't seem to care much about Bart's complaints and dove headlong into the mix of gases of the nebula's outer ring. Various chunks of ice and debris flew all around the ship and smacked into the hull of the fused vessel. Unfortunately for the cowardly Bart, due to the neural interface link between him and the ship, then anything that collided with the ship came to hit him in the form of PAIN. A stray chunk of ice smacked into the top near the bow, which caused him to yelp in pain. As the hit felt like a blow to his head and that threw him back a bit.

"Will somebody please raise the shields!" he called out while rubbing his head.

----------------

Bart wasn't the only one with problems on the ship. At least ninety percent of all operating systems were offline. Jura and her buddy Barnette found themselves trapped inside the elevator, buried underneath their own possessions. They were in a rather difficult situation as along with their belongings, which were clothes and personal items, were also some firearms and live ammunition. Meia on the other hand was in dismay as she had found out that the Dread platforms were also offline. That naturally meant that she couldn't send anyone to rescue Gascogne and Dita.

Duero also had problems. Long before the ship's little dip in the nebula, they were brought to the medical bay and there he spotted a young gentle looking woman on a bed with one of her companions watching over her. BC told them Ezra's condition and requested them to check on the woman. This got the doctor's attention as he knew that technology wise the women were better equipped than his own people, also in the area of medical technology, so why would they need his help? He naturally directed this inquiry to BC. The silver-haired women gave a simple smirk and told Duero that he was showing his status as an elite. She then explained that with all the major systems offline they needed all the help they could get. Besides, he could learn all about the female physiology. This got the doctor's curiosity and so he agreed to help with Ezra. While Duero was running a scanner over Ezra's body, the lights went out; indicating that power to the medical facility was cut off as the ship took its little bath in the nebula's outer gas ring. With one quick lighting fast motion he took a communicator from the hip holster of an aide, who made no bones in showing her surprise and displeasure at that.

"I'm trying to work on a patient here! Make power to the medical bay a top priority!"

Duero ordered in a totally no nonsense tone as he contacted the engineering section of the ship.

In the engineering section, Parfet was exasperated as she took Duero's call.

"I'd love to do that also, but we've got our own problems here as well! I can't do much right now since I can't read the men's language!"

Duero then directed his attention to Buzam, who was watching him check on Ezra.

"If I were there, I could help them read it as it's all in my home-planet's language."

The first officer shrugged her shoulders and nodded in agreement.

"Go right ahead, but be back here to finish your examination."

"Yes, I will." Was Duero's reply as he headed for the Engineering Section.

--------------

Engineering…

The moment Duero stepped into the Engineering area, the reaction to his presence was simple.

"It's a man!" One of the engineers under Parfet screamed as she caught sight of the young Tarak doctor.

Parfet simply glanced at Duero and nodded her approval of his arrival. "Oh, you're here. Good." She then led the doctor over to the worktable where the little Navi-Robot was hooked up to one of the consoles. "I can't do much with all this data if I can't read it."

"It's just a Hi-type #6 data feed." Duero replied as he examined the data being shown on the Navi-Robot's screen. He was rather curious about the little setup the engineer had going on. "What exactly were you trying to do here anyway?"

Parfet began to explain with a little sheepishness to the young physician that the Navi-Robot and the ship's reactor somehow seemed to be linked together. She had thought that the robot would make a good sensor. However, with the language of the men in front of her, she couldn't figure out the reason for the ship's current condition.

Duero nodded as he looked a bit more at the data. "According to this readout, there seems to be a massive built-up of impurities, probably from the merging of the two ships."

"Maybe, so can you fix it?" Parfet asked as she gazed at the young medic.

"I'm sorry to say this, but I'm a doctor, I'm no engineer."

This made Parfet a little bit mildly irritated.

"That's no excuse! Everything that moves is alive! It's a doctor's duty to fix all living things, right? That's what I always believe in!"

Duero's curiosity was peaked as he gazed at the feisty female engineer before him. "You have a very interesting view of things." He replied as he removed his trench coat.

---------------

As soon as the vessel's lower section immersed itself into the nebula's outer gas ring, the engines went on full shutdown. The ship was now propelled by pure momentum now.

"Engines have now shut down, captain." One of the bridge crew, a brown haired and brown skinned woman reported as she gazed at the monitors. Her name was Amarone Slatheav and she was the best friend of all the other bridge crewmembers.

Magno sighed as she was now being cooled by an ice pack over her head and a portable fan was nearby as well. "Just when I get the good news that we've stopped, we now are in a nebula of all the places." It was then that the fan near her shut down as well.

"Captain! Sensors indicate that another section of the ship is now transforming again." Reported another member of the bridge crew, a blonde and a blue-eyed girl by the name of Belvedere Coco.

Outside of the ship's hull, near the arm areas of the ship, new crystal formations appeared as the ship once more went into a transformation.

----------------

"Curious." Duero commented as he checked the data being displayed through the Navi-robot's screen. "It seems that the ship is reacting to the gaseous composition of the nebula's outer ring."

Parfet considered the data for a moment then smacked her fist into her open palm. "That's it! The ship must be trying to use the gases in the nebula to neutralize the impurities inside its systems!"

Duero nodded as he was in full agreement to the engineer's answer. "It seems that the ship is reacting like a living thing."

----------------

Back at the wreckage…

Dita looked through her binoculars. "All I can see Ms. Gasco are the markers." She reported back as soon as she looked through and spotted the buoys deployed under BC's order.

"Something must have happened then." Gascogne thought about the change of events for a few moments, and spoke. "Well, we're already finished here. So we'd better get back to the ship now."

"Roger."

Just as the two women were now making their way back to Dita's Dread, the ship's supposedly destroyed systems came back online. The sensors detected the presence of Dita and Gascogne; it deployed massive metallic tendrils that moved like snakes aiming to snare one of the female pirates, which happened to be none other than the chief supply officer Gascogne. Before the older woman knew it, she was now the proverbial fly trapped in the spider's web as the tendrils surrounded her in a metallic cage.

"Ms. Gasco, look out!" Dita cried as she saw the tendrils capture her comrade but was a little late in delivering the warning.

----------------

Back at the pirate vessel…

"Captain, I have an idea." Buzam called in as she got into contact with the bridge and to her commanding officer through the active communication systems. She was currently in the sub-bridge of the former Ikazuchi colony ship.

"Go ahead BC." Magno sighed as she continued to try her best to remain cool despite the sweltering heat, which indicated that the temperature had just hit a few extra degrees in the bridge.

"Since the Dread launching platforms are offline, we can't launch any of the Dreads to retrieve Gascogne and Dita. However…"

"However?" Magno inquired as she tried to shift to a more comfortable position on the command chair.

"However the Vanguard launching platforms are still operational. It's a potentially high risk, but we could have that young man named Hibiki to go out and go look for them." BC spoke earnestly

"Hmmm…. Not a bad idea despite its risk, BC. All right then. Explain the situation to him and see if he agrees to it."

"Thank you, Captain." But just as BC was about to sign off, Magno took a look at the second in command's location.

"By the way, BC. What are you doing in the men's section of the ship?"

BC gave a slight smile. "Just… fulfilling my duty as your first mate, Captain. Over."

--------------

At the Cell…

"Man… it is hot in here!" Cloud said to himself in a tired voice as he lounged on the floor clad only in his white undershirt and boxers. He took off most of his clothes as the heat became unbearable by the minute.

"You can say that again I think I'm going to die." Hibiki said.

"Hey Hibiki your kind of scrawny." Cloud said

"WHAT DID YOU SAY CLOUD IF YOU WANT TO GO AT IT THEN LETS GO I CAN TAKE YOU ANYTIME ANY PLACE."

"Whoa calm down Hibiki I'm not making fun of you its just that you're not physically fit that's all."

"Well you should have said that in the first place. And who cares if I'm scrawny."

"It's kind of dangerous though Hibiki. I mean what if you get injured in one of these battles."

"You're point Cloud"

"What I'm trying to say is that you need to start working out. Plus if you start to work out you won't be as tired. Hmm that's it I have an idea."

"Is it a way to get out of here!"

"No, but if the women let us come out and let us help out with these battles I'll train ya.

So are you for it Hibiki."

"I'll think about it."

It was then that they stopped there conversation when they heard someone enter the room, as they looked towards the door. Buzam walked in to the cell and smirked as she gazed at Cloud and Hibiki in there current state of dress.

"My, my, don't you men have any shame?"

Hibiki gave a look to BC. "Look who's talking! Don't you women ever consider knocking BEFORE seeing someone in their undergarments?" He replied as he as well began to put on his clothes.

"Calm down Hibiki its all right." Cloud then put is clothes back on as well.

Cloud then gave a curious look at the silver-haired woman. "I know you're not here to visit us just for the sake of mere social interaction. Do you want something from us?

Buzam nodded. "I've come… to ask you two a favor."

"A favor huh? That favor being?" Cloud asked as soon as he locked in his gloves and boots.

"Two of our crew were left behind when this ship dove into the nebula. I would like to ask Hibiki to go out and find them."

Hibiki then answered back. "What makes you think I'll help women?"

"My my and I thought men were a proud race willing to help anyone." B.C. said

"Hey Hibiki calm down on the temper plus you should help them out. I mean you can get out of here and go somewhere cooler than here." Said Cloud

"Fine I'll go search for them."

Cloud then turned his attention back to B.C. "Also there's a reason why you can't send your own pilots to retrieve them I take it, otherwise you wouldn't come here and ask that favor for Hibiki, right?"

BC nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. The reason is that our main Dread platform is offline, so we can't send out any of our own Dreads to retrieve our missing crew, but the vanguard hanger is operational for the time being so I would like Hibiki to go out and get them."

"I said that I would go already so let's go."

B.C. then put the bars down and looked back at Cloud.

"There is one thing that I would like you to do Cloud."

"What's that?"

"We have two more of our crewmembers stuck in an elevator and right now most of our crew is busy trying to get this ship to be operational."

"And you would like me to go and get them."

"Yes, that and you already know one of the people that's stuck in there."

"Really. Who?"

"Jura."

"Jura? Well nothings popping up"

"I have a feeling that you'll remember when we get there. Now Hibiki follow the guard that's by the door. She'll escort you to the vanguard hanger. Cloud you follow me.

Cloud and B.C headed for the elevator. While Hibiki left for the hanger

----------------

At the alien wreckage…

"It's no use, Ms. Gasco!" Dita cried as her latest attempt at freeing her comrade failed.

At this point the older female and the pirates' chief supply officer was more concerned about her current predicament than reminding the young Dread pilot that her name was Gascogne. The metallic cage that trapped her was well designed and kept her from escaping. Dita had attempted to use the built-in blasters of her suit, but the metallic tendrils were too dense for the lasers to cut through.

Dita then got an idea. "I'll get the tools from the Dread!"

Gascogne shook her head in disagreement at that.

"Don't bother with that now Dita. Have you forgotten our mission here? Someone has to go to the ship with that data in that disk! You take your Dread and head back to the ship!"

Dita looked horrified at that and shook her head. "Ms. Gasco! I can't just leave you here like this!"

"Who said anything about you leaving me here to rot anyway? This isn't some third-rate soap opera! You can come back for me with more help, right? Now hurry up Dita and get going!"

Dita nodded reluctantly as she knew that Gascogne was right, she turned around and headed for her waiting interceptor.

However, the moment she was out of sight, the insides of the ship reactivated itself again. Panels all over the section of the wrecked vessel opened revealing more of the alien fighters and several smaller types, which could be repair drones of some sort. Gascogne immediately began to have this sinking feeling behind her spine.

---------------

Back at the nebula…

"Sensors have detected a massive object, which has a direct collision path with us. It appears to be an asteroid-sized chunk of ice." Amarone reported to Magno as her sensors confirmed the object heading for the ship.

"Did you hear that? Do something now!" Magno cried out to Bart who was still in the navigation well.

However, Bart was in the middle of a hysterical screaming fit as he also spotted the incoming asteroid, and was now of no help to anyone whatsoever

----------------

In the engineering section, at the mean time…

"The input/output ratio is off." Duero remarked as he checked the readouts in front of him. Through using the screen display of the Navi-robot.

"That's because there aren't enough link routes to handle the strain!" Parfet declared at her own end of her monitor.

"But the existing ones can't handle the strain on their own."

"Don't give up yet! There HAS to be an answer!"

The physician thought for several moments, considering the situation they were in, then he decided to approach this situation the way Parfet viewed and thought of it. If it really was behaving like a living organism, then perhaps his training in medicine and his doctoring skills would apply.

"How about a bypass then? In medicine, when there is a blocked artery, then all you have to do is make an alternate route to clear the path and relieve congestion."

Parfet nodded, as she understood what Duero had in mind. "A detour huh? Great idea doctor!" She reached him and patted her hand on his left shoulder in agreement. "You know… you wouldn't make a bad engineer!" She turned and directed her attention to her staff and began giving new orders. "Listen up, everybody! We're going to get busy!"

Duero looked down at his shoulder and contemplated Parfait's touch.

---------------

Back at the wreck…

Gascogne looked in morbid fascination and amazement as she witnessed the alien fighters and the smaller drones begin their repairs on their mother ship with clean-cut efficiency, which confirmed her suspicions that the so called alien vessel was actually a massive mobile factory.

"They can regenerate under these conditions?" The head supply officer remarked.

It was then she caught movement through the corner of her eye, she turned and saw something very large and rather ominous heading for her direction. The machine looked like some massive bug, with a massive array of clawed appendages, and two large soulless eyes focusing solely on her. She had a very accurate idea that this machine wasn't here to have a chat with her.

The head supplier laughed nervously as she focused her own gaze at the mechanized bug as she said. "I guess I know what you want for dinner."

--------------

Out in deep space…

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! NO!"

Dita cried out as she was now running for her life, as several enemy fighters were chasing her and taking pot shots at her Dread. She used every evasive maneuver she had learned from her fellow Dread pilots and her comrade and leader Meia, and any other maneuver she could think of at the moment. But the alien fighters remained behind her and had no intention of letting the young redhead escape.

"I REALLY HATE ALIENS WHO DON'T KNOW WHEN TO GIVE UP!"

It was at this point that her ship's sensors warned her of another approaching blip heading for her.

"From the front too!" Dita asked in growing panic.

At that instant, one of the fighters pursuing her managed to hit near her Dread, the fighter rocked by that near miss, making accidentally activate her ship's weapons and firing them. Twin beams of destruction lanced forward and caused a small explosion some distance away from her as soon as they struck their target. However, as soon as the explosion faded four massive beams launched back. The beams however, passed over Dita's Dread without hitting the fighter and turned her pursuers into scrap metal. It was at this moment that Dita was close enough to spot who was in front of her.

Hibiki was not in a good mood. "HEY! IS THAT ANY WAY TO THANK THE PERSON WHO CAME OUT TO GET YOU OR WHAT!"

(And this is the thanks I get for coming to save a woman.)

Dita however became overjoyed at seeing Hibiki. "Mr. Alien! You came for me!" She then made her Dread accelerate towards his vanguard.

"Hold on! Wait a minute here!" The young pilot activated his vanguards braking thrusters to decelerate, but as soon as his vanguard and the Dread were in close proximity to one another, there came a bright flare of light. Vanguard and Dread once more became Vandread Dita.

"Wow! What is all this?" Dita asked in delight as she tried to gaze at everything she could see, as she now sat on Hibiki's lap in the cockpit of the massive Vandread

"Hey! Will you please stop moving around so much?" Hibiki said.

The young Dread pilot smiled as she turned to face her Mr. Alien. "I just want you to know, that I believed that you would come, and I knew that you would rescue me."

Hibiki tried not to blush as Dita's face was at least half a foot away from his. He then tried to hide the blush. "I didn't come here to save you!" He retorted angrily, using his anger as a shield to hide his reactions to the young woman in front of him. "I… just went out to look for you… that's all."

"Well thank you." Dita said happily.

---------------

Gascogne was definitely not liking her situation as it unfolded in front of her. The mechanized bug began to efficiently cut away the tendrils that held her. She knew that the machine was only doing so to get to her.

"You guys work pretty efficiently. I don't suppose I could make you consider working for us?" Gascogne tried to sound confident which was a sharp contrast to the fear she was feeling as the automaton came closer to her.

The response of the machine was simply extend a wicked looking appendage with claws that looked VERY sharp.

By then the chief supply officer for the pirates was sweating. "So, now I guess it's my turn now, eh?"

However, the automaton couldn't reach her with its surgical arm, as the thing was suddenly swallowed by something metallic and rather huge. It was instantly crushed into a mangled mess of parts as Gascogne looked out and saw the Vandread outside.

Gascogne sighed with relief, as she was now sure that Dita had brought in the cavalry.

"You guys put off saving me until the last possible moment, but I guess I couldn't have asked for a better stage ending."

----------------

Back at the pirate ship's engineering room…

"We've managed to secure at least thirty-six bypasses to the reactor and the main systems of the ship!" Parfet declared as she checked in through the monitor on her console. "How are things on your end, doctor?"

Duero sighed as he closed the Navi-robot's panel and faced his colleague. "I can't do any more back here I'm afraid to report. We'll just have to make due with what we have now."

Parfet knew that despite then newly installed bypasses, those were not enough. "The balance ratio will be completely thrown off if there aren't enough link routes!"

"Do you know what doctors do during a time like this and when in this kind of situation? We then believe in the patient's desire and will to live."

The female engineer smiled and nodded.

----------------

At the elevator…

"Well Cloud here's the elevator it's all yours. Good luck."

B.C left leaving Cloud there alone to try and figure out a way to get the two crewmembers out of the elevator. Cloud then looked around to see if there was anything useful and found some rope on the floor. Cloud examined it and saw that it was in good condition. It was then that he heard two female voices come from the inside of the elevator.

"WILL SOMEONE PLEASE GET US OUT OF HERE! Both Jura and Barnette yelled

"HOLD ON I'LL GET YOU OUT."

Cloud then saw that he could jump off the wall and pull himself onto the elevator with ease. He also looked down and saw that it was a long ways down and decided that he didn't want to fall off. Cloud then jogged back a couple steps and took a running leap. Using his left foot to propel himself off the wall towards the elevator. Right when he was suspended in mid air there was a large explosion that rocketed the ship. Making the elevator move away from him. Cloud then thrust out if right hand and grabbed the elevator just in the nick of time. He then pulled himself up to the top and tied the rope so that the women could shimmy down. He then noticed a small pain coming from his right hand. Looking down at it he notices that he dislocated his index finger.

(Ah crap this is going to hurt. Hey at least it wasn't my middle finger I can still flip people off when I'm angry.)

Cloud then took his gaze of his right and took a deep breath and put his index finger back in place.

KKRACK

It was then that Barnette yelled at him that got him out of his train of thought and the pain that he was having in his right hand.

"Will you hurry up and get us out I think that the elevator is going to fall."

"Ok give me a sec. I'm opening the top right now."

Right when Cloud opened the top Barnette yelled.

"IT'S A MAN HOW DID YOU GET OUT OF YOUR CELL AND…"

"I'm here to help now stop screaming."

(Ahh man there goes the other ear. I think I might go deaf when this whole trip is finished)

Cloud then noticed a blonde woman in there with her.

"Hey I remember you. You're the one that was going off about elegance and stuff."

"Yes, I am and the name is Jura thank you very much. Now if you don't mind I would like to be rescued now."

"Ok give me a sec."

It was then that Barnette looked back and forth from Jura to Cloud. She didn't know why but she felt jealous.

"I don't want to be saved by this man and I don't want him touching me either."

"Well if you don't want me to save you or give you a helping hand out why don't you have Jura give you a boost out. There's also a rope out here so you can shimmy down to the closest floor."

Jura then helped Barnette up and out of the elevator and helped herself get down to the closest floor. Cloud looked back down the elevator to see Jura mumbling to herself about how Barnette needed to lose some weight because she was heavy. Jura then noticed that Cloud was staring at her and gave her hand to Cloud. When Jura was out she gave Cloud a big hug. What she didn't notice was that her cleavage was right in front of Clouds face causing Cloud to have a nose bleed.

"Umm Jura enough with the hug…Jura stop hugging me I … can't breath…ENOUGH WITH THE HUGGING NOW.

Jura then let go of Cloud.

"I was just thanking you…Cloud you have a nose bleed you may want to go to the infirmary when this is over."

"Yeah thank you for telling me."

(Thank god she doesn't know how she caused my nose bleed)

It was then that there was another giant explosion causing the elevator to come off its hangings and started to fall.

"Jura come here we have to jump."

"But I don't wanna jump what if I…"

Jura was cut off short as she felt a hand go around her waist. The next thing she knew was Cloud holding her tight and them landing right next to a shocked Barnette.

"How did you…Jura are you alright…but still how did you jump off the elevator without hurting yourself."

"Lots of practice" Cloud replied

It was then that they looked down to see a complete crushed elevator on the ground with a small fire going right next to it. Barnette then remember that there was ammo in the elevator.

"Umm we might want to get out of here."

"Why? You're safe now." Cloud said

"You don't understand there's ammo in the elevator."

"Well now that you've said LIKE HELL." Cloud said

Cloud, Jura, and Barnette ran out of the hallway until they reached the next section of the ship. As they stopped to get a breather they could hear ammo going off in the other hallway.

"I'm just going to sit down and take a breather right here. After saving you and running away from bullets I'm just a little tired."

As Cloud was getting ready to sit up against the wall he heard Jura crying.

"This isn't fair I had some of my best outfits in that elevator and now there gone."

"Don't worry Jura we'll get you some new ones." Barnette said as she was trying to comfort her.

(What is it with women and Clothes I'll never understand?)

Jura then got happy as she remembered that she could combine with Cloud vanguard to make something elegant. She then looked at Cloud with sad puppy dog eyes.

Cloud noticed this and remembered that he and Jura's dread could combine and saw the plot that was starting to thicken in her head. Jura started to walk towards Cloud. As for Cloud he turned around and started to run for the bridge. Jura started to chase Cloud with a very angry and jealous Barnette right behind them.

---------------

Back at the bridge…

A massive chunk of ice continued its path of collision with the fused vessel as the crew frantically try to avoid disaster.

On the Command Bridge, Magno's mouth was in a tight straight line as her bridge team continued to report.

"Distance is now twelve hundred kilometers and closing…" Amarone reported as she stayed at her station.

It looked like the end to Magno; however that was until the fan near her suddenly came back online…

"Huh?" the pirate Captain could say in surprise.

Belvedere gave a cry of joy as she checked the readouts on her console. "The system just rebooted itself!"

Down at the engineering section, the Navi-robot became active once more, stood up on its feet and smartly saluted both Duero and Parfet.

"Beep! I'm back in service!"

"Yes! We did it! We make a great team!" Parfet whooped with joy as she reached out clasped Duero's hand in her own, then she looked down at both their hands for a moment and blushed as she gazed briefly at Duero.

Duero also felt rather… odd, as he also found his gaze torn between his hand held in Parfet's own and her face.

---------------

"HARD TO STARBOARD, THIRTY DEGREES!" Magno shouted to Bart in the navigational well.

"AAAAAHHHHH! IT'S TOO LATE!" Bart screamed in fear as he immediately braced himself for imminent destruction.

Then, there came a massive explosion in front of the vessel, but it wasn't the ice colliding with the ship's hull. Bart opened his eyes as he felt no pain at all, all he could see was that the asteroid was completely vaporized and in the things place was the Vandread flying in front of them.

"Hmph! So he saves the day once again!" Bart said with disdain.

---------------

Inside the VanDread's cockpit…

Man! I am SO tired! Maybe I should train with Cloud after all Hibiki sighed as he leaned back on the command chair.

"See! I told you it was amazing!" Dita said excitedly as she bounced up and down on Hibiki's lap, making the young pilot even more agitated and nervous, as she was bouncing once more on a certain part of his anatomy.

Beside them, in very obvious discomfort was Gascogne. "Yeah, yeah it was. So how about getting me the heck out of here?"

---------------

Later that day…

Magno got into contact with every member of her crew onboard the ship as she and BC prepared to make a special announcement.

"We have deciphered the data that was salvaged from the wreckage long before Vandread Dita and Vandread Jura destroyed it. I want all of you to take a good look at this" BC said as she changed the image in the holographic display screen to all the monitors on the ship, the images depicted a rather strange looking planet.

"This is the enemy's home world. We don't have a full estimation of the planet's exact location, but apparently they are in possession of some very serious firepower. They seem to perceive our presence as in invasion of their system so therefore, we expect more hostile encounters and battles on our return to Tarak and Mejale space."

The first officer continued her briefing as she let her words sink in to the crew.

"We have also discovered that the enemy is planning a major operation, which calls for the total obliteration of our home-planet of Mejale and the male planet of Tarak. For rather unknown reasons, a hostile force is fully intent on wiping out our two worlds."

Then the captain took over.

"We are, as you all know are pirates and as such we therefore have no bonds to either Mejale or Tarak. However, it would not be in our best interests for this unknown and hostile force to wipe out our potential 'customers.' Therefore, I intend to reach our home system before the enemy has the opportunity and inform both our worlds of this crisis. In order for this mission to be successful, we must incorporate the men we have captured into part of our crew."

Belvedere and her friend Amarone, along with the rest of the bridge crew were the first be shocked by this announcement, as Bart smiled smugly as he lay on the floor near the navigational well.

"Heh. So you finally see things my way."

The old woman continued to speak. "There are many things that we don't understand, such as this ship and that large machine." (Including Cloud and his magic) Magno silently added before she finished her speech. "However, I expect that we shall learn more, one day at a time. That is all."

Just as soon as she shut off the comm-link, Ezra and Duero entered the bridge. As soon as the ship's systems were in full operational condition, Duero returned to the medical bay and finished his examination of Ezra's odd condition.

"I'm sorry about before." Ezra apologized at the old woman. "I'll be returning to my station now."

BC directed her attention to the young Tarak medic. "Did you find the cause of Ezra's fever?"

Duero nodded. "There was nothing wrong with the patient's vital signs and functions, but she seemed tired, for unknown reasons, that is until I made a thorough examination. There seems to be some sort of parasitic organism feeding off my patient's body internally."

That statement alarmed Magno as she looked at the gentle woman, but Ezra shook her head while trying to hide her blushing face.

"No! No! It's not like that! It seems… I'm going to have a baby."

The minute Magno heard that statement she relaxed and gave a smile to Ezra, while Belvedere, Amarone and the rest of the bridge crew became very exited as they crowded around the mother-to-be.

"When in the world did you become a fahma?" Belvedere asked with joy coating her voice.

"So who's the ohma?" Amarone asked as well.

All this naturally confused Bart, as he was not aware of the birthing methods on the home-planet of the women. "But I thought that babies were born in a factory."

The young medic pondered this information for a moment. "Come to think of it, I have heard this rumor that females reproduced internally."

Ezra bowed her head at Magno. "Forgive me, Captain. I had intended to you after the last raid on the men, but…"

Magno smiled more and waved it off. "There's nothing to forgive, Ezra. I hope that you give birth to a healthy baby."

"C'mon Ezra! Who's the ohma?" Belvedere asked at her comrade.

"What is that exactly?" Duero asked with genuine interest. He never told anyone on his planet, that part of his reason to become a doctor was because of his fascination with the mysteries of female physiology.

"The ohma is the one who donate the egg and the fahma is the one who nurtures it in her womb. Don't you know anything?" Belvedere asked the young doctor.

"In all honesty, this is the first time I've ever heard of it."

As they continued their discussion of Ezra's pregnancy, none of them noticed Buzam edging her way to a console and removing a small data disk.

"We certainly have our share of surprises today, right BC?" Magno asked her first mate.

The first mate turned quickly and managed to hide the disk from her Captain's eyes as she directed her attention to the old woman. "Er, yes Captain!"

"The whole crew will have to work as hard as they can, especially for the new life that will be joining us soon."

"It's going to be a long journey then." Buzam added.

"Yes, it will be a long journey indeed." Magno nodded.

---------------

Back in another section of a hallway…

(I knew that the old lady would let the men join. Well I guess this means I'm going to have to be wide awake before I say something around her)

Cloud then got out of his train of thought as he heard Jura closing in right behind him yelling. PLEASE COMBINE WITH ME IT WOULD MAKE ME FEEL MUCH BETTER IF I SAW THE ELEGANCE OF MY DREAD.

Cloud then started to run again down the hallway hoping that someone or something would help him get to the bridge.

(I decided to come here cause why?)

With Cloud running at full speed with Jura right on his heels. An angry Barnette was right behind them yelling at Jura to get away from Cloud and saying that she might get sick if she touches him.

(This is going to be another long day) Cloud said to himself

TO BE CONTINUED…

------------------------------

_Authors notes:_

Another long story but I got it up just for you people to read. It took me all night to finish this so if it sounds weird blame the muffin man that lives down the lane. Anyways thank you for the reviews that all of you have giving me this has helped me out a bunch. I'm also changing my mind about making this a Cloud/Jura fanfic I'm getting a lot of e-mails saying that they want this to be a Cloud/Meia fanfic. So expect some surprises and for some twists and turns. I'm also having Cloud train Hibiki so if you would like some type of style for Hibiki to learn just let me know. Hope you enjoyed it .Please read and review.

Ja Ne


	5. Just trying to help out

**Vandread Fantasy**

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7 or Vandread. I wish I did though oh well ;)

Sorry that I haven't put this chapter up it's a long story well enjoy

( ): thoughts

**Chapter Four**

**Just trying to help out**

In one of the ladies rooms…

Belvedere was powdering her face with her make-up unit looking at a mirror as she had a discussion of the latest gossip about men with one of her fellow crewmembers.

"Did you hear the latest rumors? I heard that men seem to have some strange tube stuck between their legs."

The reaction of the other pirate was rather obvious.

"No way! Are you sure it's not some kind of antennae? Gross!"

"If that rumor was true, then I wonder if that 'thing' there between their legs makes it difficult for them to walk."

They were not aware that there was someone else listening on their little gossip session as a certain redhead was all ears to that little rumor.

Dita listened eagerly to her comrades as they discussed the latest gossip about men. As soon as she understood what Belvedere was talking about, she looked on her own body and noted that she didn't have that said appendage on her. She smiled and then decided to find out whether this rumor was true about one of the Mr. Aliens

-----------------------------

As Dita was going down the hallway down to the men's quarters her curious question was just about to be answered as Cloud came around the corner and headed for the men's room. Dita then quietly snuck in behind Cloud without him noticing. Just when Cloud pulled down his pants he saw a certain red haired women behind him.

"AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHH! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING HERE DITA!" Cloud asked in shock and embarrassment, as he was about to drop his pants in front of the toilet, but he couldn't do that as a certain someone was inside the restroom with him.

Dita said nothing at all, as she continued to stare at Cloud with a twinkle in her blue eyes and a smile on her face, totally unaware what her presence was doing to the young man.

Cloud tried in desperation to contain the embarrassment in his face from showing, in a flash he pulled back up his pants, grasped Dita by the collar of her jacket and hauled her out of the men's restroom. As soon as he opened the door leading out, he dumped Dita on the floor. The female now found herself planted outside of the room as Cloud slammed the door and activated the electronic lock.

Dita turned around and spoke to Cloud through the door.

"But why can't I watch Mr. Alien?"

"I can't go with someone watching that's why!" He shouted back.

Dita looked down and sighed in disappointment. She then decided to go and see if the other Mr. Alien would let her see. Dita then went to look for Hibiki.

-----------------------------

At the medical bay…

Duero gazed in interest at the images he was viewing.

"Peculiar… this organ doesn't even exist in a man's physiology." He remarked as he further studied the computer displays showing the gestating baby within Ezra.

Ezra looked at the young medic and explained what they were viewing.

"It's called a uterus."

"Hmmm… a reproductive organ… most interesting."

Ezra rested on the bed comfortably, as she began to explain to Duero what else they were looking at.

"I wanted to have a baby, so I decided to carry the seed."

This made the young medic curious even more. "What's the seed?" Duero asked.

"It's when an ohma donates an egg and has it spliced with the genes of the fahma. Then it is implanted into the fahma's womb to be nurtured and to grow. Where I come from, anyone who wants to be a fahma can be one."

"Hmmm…. So that means I can become one?"

Ezra developed a rather large sweat drop as she tried to find a way to explain.

------------------------

Elsewhere…

Parfet was busy holding a contest for which a new name would be given to the fused ship, since everyone agreed that the name Ikazuchi was a rather lousy choice for the ship. All of the crew would contribute and the winner would get a year's supply of food coupons that will be redeemed at the Trapeza. With the Navi-robot, now being called Pyoro, logging in all the suggestions, Parfet would then give the list to the Captain for her to choose the name. One of the suggestions offered was the name 'Nirvana' which was BC's suggestion. Parfet hoped that the captain wouldn't choose that one. It was then that she was going down the hallway when she noticed Cloud coming her way. She then remembered that men were now a part of the crew so she went to him to see if he had any suggestions for a new name for the ship.

"Hey your names Cloud right?"

"Yeah, can I do something for you?"

"Well were holding a contest and who ever wins gets a year's supply of food coupons that will be redeemed at the Trapeza."

"Ok so what do I have to do."

"Just give us a name for the ship and if the captain chooses it you win. It's that simple."

"Umm how about the name……Highwind." Cloud then left

"Hey that's not a bad name Pyoro put that one down."

------------------------

Meanwhile… at another section of the ship…

Buzam had just finished inserting a data disk into a message pod, when she was suddenly contacted by the captain via Comm.-link.

"BC, is everything ready?"

"Err, yes Captain!"

Magno nodded as she then spotted two pods were in the launch ports. "Why are there two pods?"

"Well… this second one is for Tarak. I thought it would be prudent to warn the men of the threat as well, as they are also the enemy's target."

Magno considered this and her first officer for a moment, and agreed with her plan, as the men too were a target.

"Very well." Launch the pods."

BC nodded as she activated the launch ports. Twin cylindrical objects were shot out at the bottom of the ship and sped towards their designated coordinates of the distant planets of Tarak and Mejale. However, before the pods could even reach a full two hundred kilometers, they were engulfed in a massive explosion. BC looked in surprise as she viewed the two pods' destruction through her screen, and in an instant later she spotted a quartet of enemy fighters came into view.

--------------------------------

"RED ALERT! ALL HANDS TO BATTLE STATIONS!"

Alarms were going all out throughout the ship, as Dread pilots began scrambling to respond to the incoming threats. Their record for rapid deployment was a full forty-nine seconds. Meia and Jura were already on their way to their own Dreads when they saw Dita standing near her own ship.

"Dita, what are you waiting for? Board your Dread!" Meia cried out as soon as she got close to her apprentice pilot.

Dita faced both her and Jura as she spun in pirouette as she stated why she was still standing around.

"It was Mr. Alien! He got into his partner and flew right out of here! WHOOOSH! He was SO fast!"

"What? He's out there already!" Jura exclaimed. They had only gotten the order to scramble just fifteen seconds ago.

As Jura had finished saying her sentence Cloud had entered the hanger.

"What are you guys doing we should be getting ready to go out there and fight."

"Well you see the other Mr. Alien came and went out with his partner and…"

"Ok Dita I think I get it."

Cloud then looked at the blue haired women and noted that she was quite pissed. He also noted that he would have to talk to Hibiki about this later as well. He then looked over to Jura and saw that she was looking at him with those pleading eyes and found it quite discomforting.

(Man I think I might never get used to being surrounded by women.)

-------------------------------

Out in space…

Hibiki was out in space, and was already fighting off the threats.

Hibiki then went full out toward the enemy with his two swords and took them out with no sweat.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA. See just leave this to me only a man can do moves like that. HAHAHAHA.

Hibiki and his partner then went back to the hanger.

----------------------------------

Back in the hanger

As soon as Hibiki landed his Vanguard he saw Cloud, Dita, Jura, and Meia. Hibiki then looked at the three women

. "You ladies can take a break, Hibiki the man has taken care of the enemy."

Meia's anger was rising at being upstaged by this…man!

"JUST WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT DO YOU THINK I WAS DOING I WAS SAVING YOUR BUTTS FROM THE ENEMY WHAT ELSE."

"You went out there without any authorization!" Meia called out with a little unrestrained anger.

(Uhh I think that I should jump in sometime soon before something serious happens.)

Cloud then got in between them before anything else could happen.

"Hey calm down you two there's no point in fighting."

"Who wanted your input and if I need to remind you both. You're both prisoners on this ship and you're not a part of this crew and you have no right to give me orders." Meia said

(Man, this one sure has a high temper.) Cloud thought to himself as he gazed at Meia. He then cocked his head in thought as he tried to find a way to resolve this without fists being launched.

"Correct me if I'm wrong here, but as I recall, your Captain did state officially that me, along with Hibiki, Bart the navigator and Duero the doctor were to be part of this crew for the duration of this voyage."

"Don't give me that! You're just a showoff! You are nothing without that Vanguard or the other men!"

Cloud tensed up a bit and became a little bit angry as he gazed at Meia. (Okay, that's it. I can't stand her)

"Oh really… are you challenging me?" Cloud said with controlled anger as he gave a slightly forced smile on his face. Despite his anger, he had to admire her fiery spirit and her inner strength. She had the potential and the heart of a good fighter. However, she had unwittingly challenged him, and as a soldier well Ex-soldier he NEVER backed down from a fight.

Meia's own temper hit another high notch and reached its boiling point as she glared at the smirk on Clouds face, she wasn't aware of the fact that the smirk was hiding the small amount of anger in the man's face. It was bad enough that men were now serving alongside her and her fellow pirates, but this man in particular infuriated her! And now he was daring her!

"Ah, ah! The warrior who loses her control over her temper has already lost the battle." Cloud smiled even more as he could tell that Meia was losing her control due to anger. Despite his own slightly flaring temper, he had no intention of harming the girl, as she wasn't his real enemy, so he decided to goad her a little bit to end the conflict quickly.

His attempt to goad Meia worked, as it had made the normally levelheaded Dread squadron leader lose her control. "AAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!" Meia cried out as she leveled a fist, intent on knocking Clouds head off.

Cloud however moved with ease as he side-stepped the fist which was only a centimeter away from his face, grabbed hold of Meia's extended arm and with a simple throw tossed the woman and flipped her like a pancake tossed off the baking pan. Meia found herself being thrown at least a dozen and a half feet before landing painfully on her posterior.

Hibiki, Dita, and Jura gasped at the sight of their leader so casually tossed, and they directed their looks to Cloud

Cloud shrugged his shoulders and spoke, "She attacked me first. What I did was merely in self-defense." Without another word he walked out of the room.

Dita turned and looked at Jura. "Mr. Alien… has a point." Just as Cloud was leaving

"Hibiki come with me. You and I need to have a talk."

--------------------------------

At the bridge…

"He's a danger to the ship and to the morale of the crew!" Meia complained to her Captain. It was rather obvious that her pride and ego were bruised along with her posterior. She would not be shown up by anybody! Namely by that… that MAN!

"I take it that you don't approve of the newest addition to our crew?" Magno Vivian asked her Dread squadron leader.

"That's putting it too mildly… captain. He's not following orders, he's absolutely reckless, and he's so…so… infuriating!" Meia said as she tried to rein in her temper.

"I see. Well… I'll admit that he is a bit reckless. But he's already done us a couple of favors. Furthermore, his skills and the power of his Vanguard are quite helpful assets, considering our current situation. However, if you really believe that the men are hampering the Dread teams' performance, then perhaps he will accept a reassignment of duties?"

Meia felt a surge of accomplishment and smugness as she nodded in agreement with the suggestion of her captain. She'll show that MAN her place!

----------------------------

In the Garden…

"Jezz Cloud the way you showed that women. Your amazing." Hibiki said

"Ok Hibiki I get it already so calm down we need to have a talk."

"Yeah so what do you want to talk about my training with you, some special vanguard moves, what?"

"I want to talk to you about what you did today. When you left for battle all by yourself."

"Yeah so. I just wanted to show the women who Hibiki the man really was."

"Well Hibiki I hate to bring you down but you shouldn't do that again. What if you went out there all by yourself and was killed or seriously hurt. No one would be out there to back you up or to help you out."

"Yeah so"

"So what I'm trying to say is listen to Meia she knows what she's doing and what's she saying."

"Ahh come on Cloud not you to. You've probably done the same thing I did back at your planet a bunch of times."

When Hibiki said that Cloud started to get memories of when he was back at his planet and what he did. Hibiki was right he did the same things he did when he and AVALANCHE were fighting Sephiroth, and before he had met AVALANCHE and what he had done when he was in soldier. Of course he still followed commands but when he remember what Sephiroth had done to his hometown and when he tried to fight Sephiroth on his own it brought back some really tough memories.

"Yeah I did Hibiki, but then I found out what friends were for and why they always had your back when you were in trouble. So try to listen to Meia at least once and a while and hopefully I didn't piss her off to much."

"Yeah Yeah fine alright. I'll give it a try but only cause you asked me. By the way when do we start my training?"

"When I'm able to find a large empty space on this ship. Well come on I'm starving lets get something to eat. Oh and before we leave I heard from someone that we got new orders to work in the reg. whatever that is."

"Well we'll worry about that later I'm starving."

--------------------------

At the Register…

(THIS is where we'll be working?) Cloud thought to himself as he stepped in the ship's supply depot and center. Everyone in the center's staff were all dressed in white and red waitress outfits.

Gascogne was busy giving her staff the orders for today when she spotted the vanguard pilots.

"Ah yes! The new arrival! Girls, what's our motto?"

"SMILE! SMILE!" The girls said in unison as they faced the young man and simultaneously gave them a wave.

Cloud looked at the scene with a raised eyebrow. (Just what the heck have I gotten myself into anyway!)

-----------------------------

"You have GOT to be joking!"

Cloud looked at himself in shock as he took stock of his new uniform that were worn by every woman on Gascogne's staff. The frilly apron and skirt may look well on a woman's curves and body… but on a man's frame… (I know I've had to wear a dress before but this is ridiculous.) Cloud then looked over to Hibiki and saw him in the uniform.

"Hibiki I blame you this is your fault."

"Whatever do you think I like wearing this too?"

Gascogne smiled and tried not to laugh at the looks of anger and embarrassment on the men's faces who were now under her supervision and also took stock of their appearance.

"Now that's better. Now you truly look like part of the stagehands."

"Stagehands?" Cloud said

Gascogne nodded as she decided to explain.

"That's right. It's our job to make certain that all the supply orders or filled… with a smile of course. Don't think that the actors have their own up on the stage."

Cloud was still in a deep state of shock and embarrassment over what he was now ordered to wear, when the chief supply officer came up to him. He couldn't resist giving out a growl of annoyance and irritation, but Gascogne shook her head at that.

"You should remember our motto here. Smile, smile!"

Cloud tried to force a smile as he tried to keep his temper in check.

Gascogne smiled and then motioned for him to follow her for his first day of work. Hibiki on the other hand had to mop.

----------------------

Elsewhere on the ship…

"Wow! What is all this?" Dita asked as she and her companion the Navi-bot Pyoro explored the other sections of the men's side of the ship. She had already given her suggestion to Parfet that the ship's name be Roswell. Once she did that she went on a little trip to the men's side deeply interested in learning all that she could about her Mr. Alien. The two of them had come across one of the food storage compartments and were now gazing at the massive flood of variously colored nutrition pellets.

"This room is where the men keep their food supplies." The Navi-robot explained to the young redhead. "One of these pellets is good enough for a full three hundred hours worth of labor."

Dita knelt down and took one of the pellets and began to nibble it. She grimaced immediately and spat out the pellet as her tongue's taste buds were subjected to the pellet's foul taste.

"Ewwwww! Mr. Alien actually eats this stuff!"

"Well…." The robot spoke out as it decided to tell the redhead on what it had learned about both Cloud and Hibiki. "From what I've been able to gather, Cloud and Hibiki don't care for the taste either, but these pellets are all there is to eat on Tarak."

At that bit of information, Dita perked up and smiled as she thought up an idea on how to get closer to the Mr. Aliens.

-----------------------------

At the Register System…

Though he absolutely hated the idea of having to wear a skirt and apron to work, Cloud had to admit that Gascogne ran a very effective and efficient operation. The members of her crew were completely professional, though they kept on offering those somewhat annoying smiles. However his assigned tasks were even more demeaning than when he was back in Midgar. He had been demoted from being a Leader of Avalanche to scrubbing toilets and mopping floors. He was now a janitor.

Cloud's anger was at the high notch at this treatment, as he had a VERY accurate idea on why Meia had removed them from the combat roster.

(Hmmph! Now I understand why Meia was so happy when she was given the authority to have me reassigned. She's probably gloating right now. Oh well it didn't help that I hurt her pride. )

Cloud knew that he was MORE than capable on countering this new assignment; however he knew that Meia had some justification to do what she did, as he had no doubt injured her pride as a warrior. Not only that, he knew that if he did ignore this new assignment that would cause discord on the fragile and questionable alliance on the ship, and in effect cause a morale drop in the crew. He had decided not to risk this problem from escalating just for the sake of his pride, and not to cause any injuries for that same pride. They were all doing their jobs, after all. Though he made no bones on showing how much he HATED the dress uniform of the Register System.

Gascogne had arrived and spotted the sour look on Cloud's face, so she decided to have a chat with the only male member of her Register staff.

"Well now, it seems that some people don't remember our little motto."

"Hmmm?" Cloud turned from where he was while scrubbing the Launching Bay.

"Smile, smile."

Cloud gave a slightly icy glare as he gave a growl as his only response to the woman. It was then that Gascogne gestured for him to follow her. She wanted to show him something.

----------------------------

"Don't start thinking that the jobs you were assigned to do aren't as important as destroying the enemy."

The head supply officer as she and Cloud stood in a small projection viewing room.

"We all have to do our part to help keep the ship running and keep everyone alive. Don't think that we have it easy down here."

"I hear you, but you might want to get to the point as to why you brought me here." Cloud said as he faced the supply officer.

Gascogne noted that she had a part of the man's interest, no matter how small. She then reached over and pressed a small button.

"Take a look at this."

A holographic image appeared on a screen, which caught the ex-soldiers attention. He saw the women's home-planet of Mejale and what seems to some sort of apartment complex in the residential areas. As the images continued to play, Gascogne began to explain.

"This is our home planet of Mejale. On the outside, it seems to be a rather beautiful and peaceful world. However, appearances are very deceiving. The people of Mejale are more concerned with their appearances than on practicality. They constantly waste precious energy and resources on very trivial pursuits, like who has the better garden. Often, these personal contests have gotten in the way of the more important things and what is needed to be done. One time, there was a massive power consumption and as a result… one of the residential units had to be shut down."

Cloud nodded with disgust on his face as he watched the image of a housing complex became dark as it was stripped of power. Gascogne continued further with her explanations.

"Our captain had lost her home as a result of what had happened and that was when she started this pirate gig. It was the perfect solution for those who had nowhere to go. In piracy, there was no difference between males and females. Everyone had to work hard, but everyone shared in the rewards. Don't get the idea that certain people reaped the rewards while others did all the work."

Cloud said nothing, but he had a good idea where the head supplier's conversation was hinting at. Cloud respected the views of the supply officer, as they were perfectly valid ideas. No person should be forced out of his or her own home, just because of the foolishness of one's neighbors.

"You know, you should be considering yourself lucky. If it had been the Mejale military that had attacked the men that time, then you would have been dead long before you could have even said mercy."

"Well I would consider yourself to be lucky cause you see were I'm from there was a city that ran on the planets energy. We called it Mako. Slowly the planet started to die because a company called Shinra kept extracting the planets energy and knew that we were sucking the planets life force. They never listened to us. So a bunch of us got together and made an organization called Avalanche. We meaning avalanche went around and tried to take out the Mako reactors that were sucking the planets life force out. A lot of people got hurt during those times. And then Seph…someone came along and wanted to destroy are planet with the black materia called Meteor. We were able to stop him and we know longer use Mako as an energy source. Well what I'm trying to say Gasco is I know what you're trying to tell me."

Gascogne gazed at Cloud as she thought about it for a moment. She had to agree her home-planet and his planet weren't that very different except for meteor and planet destruction, considering his innate abilities and the sheer power.

"Yes, I suppose that you do understand and that we are very alike"

"Yeah I know." Cloud replied as he exited the room.

Gascogne smiled a bit as she watched the young man leave.

------------------------

A week after Cloud and Hibiki joined the Register System…

"LOOK OUT!"

The women scrambled back for cover when the anti-gravity fields failed as the huge payload of missiles started falling. They had been moving the ammunition to one of the loading bays for the Dreads, when the lifters malfunctioned. The massive loads of ordinance that was being moved shifted and began bearing downwards.

A young member of Gascoigne's staff, a pretty girl with long braided brown hair, screamed after she had tripped and injured herself, and saw that the missiles were now bearing down on her. She knew that she was now going to die, either from being crushed by the tons of ordinance heading for her, or to be blown to bits when those weapons exploded on impact with the floor.

However, that disaster was quickly averted when one individual dropped his mop and headed for her. Cloud saw this and within a fraction of a second(or two)Cloud arrived and got her out of the way from the falling weapons, which made a loud, dull clang on the floor. Fortunately the missiles weren't armed, so they didn't detonate.

Cloud sat down on the floor, on his back as he tried to shake the gongs and bells in his head and groaned in pain, he slowly got up on his knees, still shaking his head slowly. Gascogne quickly rushed up to him and kneeled down.

"Are you all right?"

Cloud nodded and gave a weak grin. "N…No problem. Besides… we still have to… keep smiling… right? Though…I'm going to be…hearing…quite a few…gongs for a while."

The muscular woman couldn't help but laugh along with the young man as she helped him to his feet.

Nearby, the young woman saved by Cloud continued to glare at the young ex-soldier while being tended by a co-worker with a first-aid kit. However, the woman didn't appear to be at all thankful to her rescuer. Instead she gave a deep glare at Cloud as she openly showed her hatred for men.

Gascogne hoped that this would not cause any more conflict

-----------------------

Later…

"Here. I thought you need a break after what happened today." Gascogne said as she reached the table where Cloud was resting as she handed him a glass filled with orange liquid.

Cloud nodded as he accepted the drink form the muscular woman and he sat down near the main console. "Thanks." Was the only word he gave, but Gascogne nodded with acceptance.

"I have to admit this much; you are a very hard and efficient worker… for a man."

"Sort of a back-handed compliment, but I'll take it." Cloud said nonchalantly as he gulped down his drink, once he finished his drink Cloud posed a question.

"So how's that girl I saved earlier."

"Maaya's doing fine, thanks to you Cloud."

Cloud nodded as he sighed a bit, and cradled the cool glass.

Gascogne noticed this and became rather curious. "Cloud… are you all right?"

Cloud nodded as he looked up. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just took a little mental breather. What's her full name anyway?"

"Her name's Maaya, Maaya Hisakata."

"Hmmm, not a bad name. From what I've seen, she's a good worker."

The head supplier nodded. "Yes, Maaya's one very dedicated worker, though her dislike for men's a little too high than most of the other crew."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, from the moment she joined up with us, she's never made any attempt to curb her hatred of men. She despises men totally."

Cloud shrugged as he took a refill of his drink. "So what? I was under the idea that all women of Mejale despise and hate men… no offense intended to anyone on the ship."

Gascogne smirked. "None taken. However, it's not the propaganda films back on Mejale that make her hate men so much."

"Really… then what's the reason? If I'm not prying in too deeply." Cloud asked as he finished draining half the liquid in his newly filled glass.

"Well… she never gives me much in the detail department, but she stated that a tragic event that happened to her distant ancestor was done by a man. From the day she was born, she had been raised to hate all men in general, though the full reason had faded over time, long ago. I rather doubt that she even KNOWS the reason anymore for her trained hatred."

"I don't want to pry. But personally, I think that it's totally stupid to be raised to hate someone without any reason to validate that hatred at all." Cloud said as he drank what's left in his glass.

Gascogne nodded as she poured another round of orange juice to her only male worker, and somewhat, friend. "On that one Cloud, I totally agree."

-------------------------

Maaya Hisakata continued to glare hatefully at the two men who were now part of the Register crew.

Mai's ancestor had a good reason to hate men. As over the last four hundred years ago back on Earth. Her ancestor had been a simple woman who had planned to be married, but on that day when she would be married, her fiancée had run away with another woman, who had been his mistress for some time. When she had found out about it she began to grow hateful of men and had in time made it a pact to forever despise men and have nothing to do with them. Since that sad betrayal by the man she had loved dearly, her family line had reproduced through the use of artificial insemination or invitro fertilization, any male child was immediately given up for adoption. When the time of space colonization came and the later founding of Mejale the Hisakata clan totally embraced the new asexual reproduction methods, therefore ensuring that no man would be born to soil their proud (though rather misguided) lineage.

Little did Maaya know that soon through this voyage, she and her crewmembers were about to learn things that her ancestors had totally forgotten about men.

-------------------------

A couple more weeks passed, and the crew soon fell into a normal routine. Cloud had found work in the Register to be rather relaxing, he namely found his work to be the best way to avoid that crazy UFO girl, though the ex-soldier never disliked Dita at all, in reality he found her to be really attractive and she had a good and kind heart. But it was her constant calling of him by the name of Mr. Alien that had grated his nerves and had been a source of annoyance.

During this span of time, the ship had been under sporadic attack by the alien forces, but they were merely small skirmish teams, and that gave the Dreads no difficulties in repelling the attacks. Meia became even more confident that they didn't need the skills of Cloud and Hibiki and the power of there Vandreads. However… that idea was soon to change…

-------------------

WAAAABOOOOOOM!

"Enemy attack!"

Magno nodded as she got confirmation from both Belvedere and Amarone, as she and her bridge crew prepared for the latest assault of the enemy. All throughout the ship, crewmembers rushed to their assigned posts, as the Dread pilots rushed to their waiting fighters. In a full thirty seconds squadrons of Dreads were now in front of the ship ready to engage the enemy. After the many previous encounters, Meia was confident that she and her comrades would be able to handle this new threat without the help of the males, namely Cloud and his Vandread.

The enemy group comprised of at least several dozen of those strange-looking fighters that the pirates have accurately dubbed as Cube Fighters, two more of the ships that spouted out the Cube Fighters that they tagged as Seed Ships and one very large machine that seemed to be one massive sphere which comprised of globes on the surface. The alien forces maintained a fixed distance in front of the pirates, as if they were daring the women to make the first move in this little encounter.

On the command bridge, Magno ordered Bart to direct the ship in some evasive maneuvers, which the helmsman did without any hesitation, (his specialty is running away after all). However, for every maneuver the ship would attempt, the alien forces countered effectively, keeping the distance between them and the pirates in deadlock. After several more attempts that were easily countered, the pirates halted and decided to face off with their alien enemies.

-----------------------

The Register…

"They're just standing there. What are those women doing? ATTACK ALREADY!" Hibiki said as he watched the situation unfold along with the rest of the pirates via monitors.

Cloud had heard Hibiki from the other side of the room and walked over to him.

"Hibiki, I'm going to tell you something useful never rush into battle without analyzing your enemy first. Once you've analyzed the enemy wait for them to attack first. This is also part of your training so remember that."

(Hibiki does have a point though they should have attacked already, not keeping us in this deadlock.) Cloud said to himself as he gazed at the image.

"I've got a REALLY bad feeling about this."

Normally he would have already been out there, fighting these new attackers, but since he had been reassigned, he was now just a spectator. It wasn't as if he couldn't disobey, but he respected Gascogne and the Captain enough to not break the rules.

Though he could tell, that in the next few moments, the rules were about to change for the worse…

In that sudden instant, the enemy attacked…

------------------------------

Meia immediately placed the Dread squadrons into the fray. The agile pirate fighters darted in and out of the mess, blowing up a small number of the Cube Fighters to junk while trying to engage the alien's main attack ship. However the strange craft was evading the first wave with speed that contradicted its massive size. Then the globes on it's surface began to rotate and extend out massive purple tendrils turning into massive razor sharp spikes, making the machine look like a…

"Sea urchin? How disgusting!" Jura commented as she directed her Dread into a strafing pattern attack against the new alien ship. She was immediately followed by her best friend Barnette who also launched her own barrage of missiles against the target. However, the spines immediately became jagged and started rotating even faster. The missiles fired by Barnette were immediately brushed aside by the spines leaving the main body unharmed, as the missiles exploded harmlessly into space.

"No good! We can't get close enough to it for a direct shot!" Barnette called out as she moved her Dread away from the fray for move maneuvering room along with Jura.

Then the spines became straight and were suddenly launched outward like over-sized high velocity darts. A few of the Dreads were caught unaware by the sudden attack, getting hit and placed out of action. Meia thought that now was their chance as she directed the still operational Dreads to immediately attack. However, the machine rapidly extended more spines and began spinning them again, causing the next barrage of missiles to totally miss and explode without any effect.

"Damn!" Meia swore as she evaded the barrage of fire from a few Cube Fighters that rushed in to protect their main system of attack. But it didn't help matters when those Seed Ships were spewing out periodically more Cube Fighters.

"Let's ask the Mr. Aliens to come and help!" Dita called in her communicator as she also managed to evade the incoming barrage from her own pursuers.

"NO! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT RELYING ON OTHERS?"

"But there good aliens, they can really help us out!" Dita countered as she dodged more shots from the enemy.

"WE DON'T NEED THERE HELP! THERE MEN AND OUR ENEMY! WE CAN HANDLE THIS ON OUR OWN!"

Meia gritted her teeth as she directed her fighter teams once more.

(I WON'T ask for anyone's help! Namely from that MAN!) Meia mentally said furiously as she remembered…Cloud

Though Meia was confident of her skills and abilities and that of her fellow Dread pilots. She wasn't aware that she was breaking the most important rule in battle, and that was… Never let your pride override your better judgment'

-------------------------

Back at the Register…

Cloud shook his head in disgust as the fight continued. "The situation doesn't look good."

Gascogne nodded in agreement as well as she watched the battle through her tactical monitors. With the Cube Fighters running interference and defense, and the Dreads being unable to attack the new alien attack ship due to its defenses, it seemed that the pirates were now fighting a one-sided battle with them at the losing side. She checked her monitors again and noted that several of the Dreads were knocked out of the action. It wouldn't be long when the enemy would make their assault on the ship itself.

"Those Dreads aren't going to last much longer. Not to mention the fact that the current battle tactics they're using are now useless." Cloud said as he sighed and shook his head at the scene.

"Oh? What would you suggest then?" Gascoigne asked as she gazed at the new vanguard pilot.

The young warrior nodded as he pointed at the urchin like vessel of the aliens. "That new ship was designed specifically for the Dreads. The spines were designed for at least three functions. The first being to act as a form of defense, with the spines being jagged and in fast rotation and considering the flow of energy in them, they then would deflect the incoming barrage of missiles, as they now know that the Dreads are only effective on long and medium range attacks. The second is for ranged attack, the design is similar to that of high penetration rounds, and with them fired at extreme speed, they're very hard to dodge, even more so with those Cube-Fighters around, and to make things even more hazardous, there's two of those Seed Ships causing interference. The last will probably to act as melee weapons, as soon as they break through the Dreads' ranks, the aliens will use their main ship to attack us."

He began accessing the computer and did more calculations. "The only possible weakness of the new attack vessel is due to the fact that it relies too much on its spines for defense. From the way it has a fast recovery rate of spines, it would mean that it has light armor, which probably explains its speed and reaction time, and uses the spines extensively for defensive runs when it's attacked."

Cloud then pointed at the image of the urchin ship as it once again fires it's spines at the formations of the Dreads. He then pointed out the now spineless ship.

"The ship can be destroyed only when the spines are out of the way, and not from long range as that would give it the needed time to regenerate its spines. That would mean that the machine can be destroyed only when attacked in point blank range." He said

Gascoigne nodded in amazement at Cloud as he had already discovered the weakness of the current attackers. "Getting up close with that ship, with all those fighters guarding it and those spines shooting out? Sounds real risky."

All Cloud could do was smile. "Back were I'm from taking risks is a part of life, that and it was basically my daily life style. From monster attacks to SOLDIER. So I'm used to it."

Cloud then looked at Hibiki and could tell that if he didn't calm Hibiki down sometime soon he would end up hurting himself, but before he could it was then that the Register System began receiving delivery orders from several of the Dread fighters that were now running low on ordinance and ammunition.

"Well looks like we have some orders. Cloud, Hibiki come with me so I can show you the robes and show you what a stagehand really does." She then pressed a button to release Hibiki from his seat

Both Cloud and Hibiki nodded and followed Gascogne for a delivery.

--------------------------

The Dreki, Gascogne's supply ship, detached from the main ship and made its way to the battle zone. The ship resembled a deep gray metallic ladybug and was protected by high-density armor plate and had several grappling arms located on the undersides. As four Dreads came in to be rearmed and refueled, she then extended the arms and then grabbed the fighters bringing them closer so that the ordered weapons could be loaded on the ships.

On the main bridge of the Dreki, Gascogne sat with Cloud and Hibiki and watched the procedures.

"Okay, we're going to get all this done in forty seconds, tops. Let's do this all in one go."

Both Cloud and Hibiki nodded they efficiently and systematically loaded the Dreads with their newly ordered ordinance of missiles and power packs. The head supplier nodded in satisfaction as she watched the Vanguard pilot's amazingly flawless efficiency, and the calm look of Clouds face as his hands literally danced over the consoles.

In less than a full minute, the Dreads were now ready to go into battle once more, with some of the pilots itching to go back to the fight.

"I'm so full!" Data called out happily.

"Give them Hell, girls." Gascogne said as they launched away from the Dreki.

As Cloud watched the Dreads reenter the battle, he gave a sigh. He spoke at this. "Not that I'm saying that being a stagehand isn't a good job or anything, but we all need to change tactics soon. Unless the Dreads can take out that urchin vessel before it can make more spines, then it won't matter just how many times they shoot at it all and how many times they reload."

Gascogne nodded. "I couldn't agree more. However, the reloaded fighters can buy us some extra time."

"What are you getting at?" he asked.

Gascogne gestured to the display. "That's the reason why we brought these along with us."

Cloud then noted that two of the cargo bays were still loaded with two more items. Hibiki looked at it. "Hey, you still got two more deliveries."

"That's correct." She then accessed cargo manifest. "It's your vanguards I had some of the girls from the register load them in before we left. Now go ahead and put that plan of your into motion and give them hell."

Both Cloud and Hibiki looked up with puzzlement. It was then that Cloud got up and started to head for his vanguard.

"What are you doing Hibiki come on and lets go we don't have a second to waste."

"All right about time. I can't wait to go out there and kick some ass." Hibiki said

"Thanks… Ms. Gasco." Cloud yelled out as he headed for the cargo bay.

"It's Gascogne!"

---------------------------

"It's Cloud…and the other one" Jura said as she spotted two new machines enter the fray.

"It's the Mr. Aliens and their partners!" Dita cheered as she spotted the vanguard pilots

On her own Dread, Meia gritted her teeth in anger. (NO! It can't be HIM!)

Before Meia could tell Dita to stay away from Hibiki the two had already combined to make Vandread Dita and entered battle. As for Cloud he went toward Jura's Dread and combined with her. Jura was ecstatic and they entered the battle.

(There's no way I'm going to let a man out show or beat me.) Meia then continued the battle.

-----------------------

The gigantic urchin vessel however seemed to understand what the Blond-haired pilot had in mind. It responded by unleashing a slightly faster barrage of spines, intent of impaling Vandread Jura, Dita and the Dread fighters. Meia had suddenly appeared and her Dread took some of the damage

"Dita, watch out!"

Meia's Dread took the hits, sending itself hurdling to the side, though not badly damaged as she knocked Vandread Dita to safety, Cloud spotted the barrage and immediately banked away, He and Jura still took some damage and were forced to split apart. As if by fate or pure coincidence, the Vanguard and the Dread were in close proximity to one another as both individuals voiced out their same desire to defeat their foe.

"There's no way…" Meia shouted out.

"… I am going to let that machine beat me!" Cloud declared in a fierce voice.

It was then that the same process that caused Cloud's vanguard to merge with Jura's Dread went into effect as well, as both Cloud and Meia turned into a new force of power. Meia's Dread swallowed up the vanguard and began to shift its own form, the entire craft flipped over itself and extended twin appendages which formed into massive talons of a hunting bird, the front of the fuselage then extended further and took the form of a serpentine head with tusks. As it's wings then expanded to somehow resemble the wings of a massive predatory bird. It hovered in space, ready to wage a bloody encounter with its foes.

------------------------------

"What!" Dita said in shock as she looked at the new machine that had been born with the fusing of Mr. Alien and her leader Meia's own Dread.

"Did you see that?" Barnette called out as she flew alongside her partner Jura.

"It's SO cool, that means I can make another magnificent machine with that other man" Jura declared as she stared starry-eyed at Meia's fighter that now resembled a massive Dragon-style mecha.

On the pirate vessel, the bridge crew along with Magno and BC were also in awe, along with everyone else onboard.

"That guy's got a ton of tricks up his sleeve." Bart said as he gazed at the new mecha.

---------------------------

Inside the cockpit of the new fighter…

Cloud and Meia were already recovering from the fusion of her Dread with his Vanguard, when Cloud's backside collided with Meia's chest…and her… (Ahem) assets. They both froze and turned around when they saw one another, they were in shock, and the results were… rather… noisy.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!" Meia cried out in anger and embarrassment as she found herself in a rather undignified position. The cockpit of their own Vandread had her sitting in a reclining position, with Cloud out in front in a hunched over position.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SHOUTING ABOUT NOW…!" Cloud shouted back as he found himself in a rather embarrassing situation, though he tried not to show his body's reaction to the close proximity of the rather attractive and curvy Dread pilot.

"I NEVER ASKED FOR YOUR HELP, SO GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" Meia shouted as she tried to force Cloud out of the cockpit, as her body seemed to tingle slightly from his proximity.

"FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I DIDN'T WANT TO EVEN BE HERE! SO QUIT PUSHING ALREADY!"

At that moment their little awkward verbal sparring match was cut short when the Vandread shuddered from the impact as the alien ship outside attacked it. Cloud focused himself to the threat at hand and grabbed a set of control systems in front of him. The Vandread came to life as he began accessing the systems of the massive machine as he then glared at his unexpected and reluctant though rather attractive co-pilot.

"As much as I want to argue a bit more, we don't have the luxury of time right now, so work with me here or we won't be able to barb each other later on!"

Meia gritted her teeth but slowly nodded in agreement as she went to work on the foot pedals and the controls on either side of her chair.

--------------------

The Vandread responded well as it darted with unbelievable speed after the enemy vessel with an acceleration rate that made the other nimble Dreads look like garden snails.

"That kind of acceleration is totally impossible!" Barnette declared as her sensors couldn't determine the exact speed that Meia's new machine was doing.

"Meia is SO lucky! Why can't my Vandread move as fast as hers!" Jura said as she eyed Meia's machine wistfully.

"Mr. Alien!" Dita chimed out as she watched the show.

"Come on, we don't have time to watch them we have battle on our hands." Hibiki said as he watched Vandread Meia take off. (Why does he get the cool looking machines?)

--------------------

Vandread Meia ran rings around the urchin ship and the giant urchin vessel tried in desperation to hit its unbelievably nimble target with every spine it could fire. However, the machine's barrage totally missed its intended mark as it flashed suddenly out of sight and reappeared behind it.

Inside the cockpit of the Vandread, both Cloud and Meia voiced out their mutual anticipation.

"This is just…" Cloud said out.

"… What I've been waiting for!" Meia declared as well.

It was then that Vandread Meia fed it's massive power to the machine's main systems. The entire craft was bathed in a bluish-white light of immense power as it dashed in like a comet.

The enemy craft was skewered through the center as the Vandread rammed straight through it like a bat out of hell. A moment later as the Vandread ran through it and out it's eye, it exploded into massive fragments and smaller spheres were scattered all over the place. The battle ended with the pirates, the Tarak men, and their allied Vanguard pilot as the victors.

Inside the now dormant Vandread, Meia and Cloud were completely exhausted.

"Well! Now that was… quite the mess." Cloud commented as he leaned on the console in front of him.

"I…never thought we'd agree on the same thing." Meia said as she also tried to regain her breath, and then added. "Now do you see? You can't just win every battle with just your Vanguards."

Cloud nodded "And I suppose you were doing better with only your Dreads?"

Meia didn't answer that question as Cloud had raised a good point.

"Look not to make you angry but I talked to Hibiki and he said he wouldn't do anything like that again…that and I'm sorry for embarrassing you."

But before Meia could say something the Vandread split apart and went back on the ship.

(That man is…weird) she said to herself before going back to the ship as well

------------------------

Later…

"The ship's new name? You want me to decide this?" Magno asked as she got into contact with Parfet through the Comm-link via Pyoro.

Parfet nodded as Pyoro showed the names suggested by the crew to her captain through his monitor." All of the crew contributed and we want you to pick one."

"You sure that you don't mind?"

"Just pick a really cool one!"

As she scanned the names, Magno spotted one that caught her eye as she considered it. "Hmmm...The Nirvana. Not a bad suggestion. Who came up with that one?"

"It was the commander's idea." Pyoro answered for the old pirate leader.

"Fine then. From now on, this ship will be under the name of Nirvana."

In the engineering room, Parfet lowered her head in defeat. "I knew it." After turning off the communications, "and I thought Cloud's name would win or at least mine would oh well."

-------------------------

Later at the men's quarters…

Cloud munched on the bento he had gotten from Dita as she met up with him. He tried to leave quietly, but that was impossible as Dita followed him, smiling all the while. He had arrived in the Bio-Park when she caught up with him. He sighed and decided to take her to his room, (NOT in THAT WAY you perverts!) and accepted the meal she handed to him.

As he was munching on the meal, he spotted Dita looking at him with the dreaded Sad Puppy Dog eyes, and that look was making him somewhat uncomfortable.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

Dita smiled and came closer. "Mr. Alien, will you promise to combine me in the next battle?

Cloud tried not to blush as he found himself looking deeply at Dita. His male hormones were already kicking into overtime. He then reined in his hormones as hard as he could and gave Dita a glare. Though he didn't really hate her, he didn't mind her company at all and despite his annoyance to her name-calling of him, she was the only member of the pirates so far, who didn't treat him as some sort of monster

"I told you so many times already! I'm not Mr. Alien! My name is Cloud!" He then noticed Hibiki asleep in his bunk. (Now I know how Hibiki feels and she chases him everyday 24/7, I'm just glad that Jura's not chasing me around)

-----------------------

At the Register, two days later…

"So Ms. Gasco, I take it that…those men won't be working here any more?" Meia asked with a bit of hope in her voice.

"It's Gascogne." The head supplier reminded her once more. "And in answer to your question, no I don't think so. I've already made the request that Cloud and Hibiki be restored to the combat roster; the two of them were never meant to be part of the stagehands."

She then gave a sigh of disappointment. She had admitted that it was a little hard to let go of the young man, though he was of an opposite gender. He was one of the most efficient and hard-working people she had in her staff for all the time he was under her command, and she liked his company a lot, Hibiki was ok as well just not as good as Cloud. She only enjoyed his company when they were playing poker.

It was then that the doors to the Register opened and a familiar voice came in the room. "Who said anything about me wanting to leave anyway?" The women and their supervisor turned to look at the door and gasped in shock.

It was Cloud, but he was wearing some new clothes and it was a masculine version of the clothes worn in the Register.

Cloud was wearing a white tuxedo with red lapels on the shoulders, while wearing a form fitting white shirt, covered by a deep blue-violet vest and with some golden thread high lights which made the vest also high light his own aquamarine-amelyst. His hair was still in it's slightly spiky style, but with the suit it made him look a little more debonair and roguish. He wore deep white pants and also had a deep red sash on his waist, and in the collar was a black tie. He wore smooth shoes that were made of a special fiber that never wrinkled and had the look of high quality black leather, and the cuffs on his sleeves were elaborately decorated.

The clothes made him look like high-class waiters from a very elegant restaurant. And the new attire naturally made them look devastatingly handsome. Many of the girls in the Register didn't know what to do and how to react at the sight that greeted them, and what to do with the feelings they were experiencing at the moment.

The whole staff and their supervisor continued to gape at the young man, as Cloud casually approached Gascogne. Cloud gave a courteous nod as he reached the supply officer and noted her surprise with a smile. "Ms. Gasco. Don't tell me you've already forgotten?" He flashed her a simultaneous grin as he recited in perfect unison. "Smile, smile."

Gascogne managed to find her voice as she shook herself back from the surprised stupor she found herself in. " Cloud…I… thought that you…"

"I wanted to quit? Not really. I decided that while I'm not in combat, I'll work here at the Register so I'll use our respective time off productively and help with the work load. Besides, I happen to like it here, so I can do something else. Plus when I'm not helping you here I'm going to be helping Hibiki with some training. I like being busy all the time. If I'm not busy I feel lazy." He then gestured to his uniform. "Though I hope you don't mind my personal alterations to the uniform. My legs don't look that good in a skirt anyway."

Gascogne chuckled at that and nodded. "Just as long as you keep it clean. Oh by the way, my name's not Gasco, it's Gascogne. Spiky"

Cloud nodded. "As you wish, oh, that the name's Cloud, not spiky."

The women and Cloud gazed at one another for a very long time as the rest of the Register staff watched and waited. Finally Gascogne nodded.

"Welcome back… Spiky."

He responded in crisp order. "Good to be back…Ms. Gasco."

Cloud and Gascogne broke into peals of laughter as she directed him to their respective consoles.

---------------------------

On the bridge…

"So those spheres will help mask the message pods?" Magno asked Parfet

Parfet nodded. "Yes Captain, I designed the pods to transmit the recognition code of our enemies so they won't be destroyed by the aliens."

"Very well then. Launch the pods."

The twin canisters with the new messages were then sent on their merry way back to Tarak and Megele, but still, some of the crew still had their own doubts.

"Even if they receive our messages, I doubt that there is a guarantee that they'll even listen." Parfait remarked as she gazed at the moving pods.

"Wish for it Parfet." BC said as she too gazed outward. "It's not much, but that's all we can do and hope for."

To be continued…

_Authors notes_:

Sorry that I haven't updated in ages. I've been a little busy with school and sports. I'll try and updated as fast as I can and I might end up splitting some of the chapter into sections so I can update faster and give you fellow readers some reading material ;) anyways if this chapter sounds a little weird its because I started writing this chapter last year, totally forgot about it, and sort of had to start over. Also I waited for the Final Fantasy 7: AC movie to come out so I can put some really cool villains in this story if you have seen the movie then you know what I mean and for the people who don't its 3 people who go by the name of Loz, Yazoo, and Kadaj. Well right now I'm at a lose for words, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter and like I said before I'll update as soon as possible

Balistic Monkey

Ja Ne


	6. notice

I hate to disappoint all of the people that have been reading my fanfiction story called 'Vandread Fantasy' but I can no longer continue this story. It's been a big load, and I'm very busy this year and won't be able to touch it anytime soon. That's why I am putting up this notice saying that I am discontinuing this fanfiction, but if any of my fellow readers or writers would like to take over this story and finish it. You are more than welcome to, but please send me an e-mail or notice saying that you would like to take this project over and I will give it to you with all of my salutations.

Thank you for reading and I'm sorry for disappointing you all.

Balistic Monkey


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